Tires hummed against the asphalt as semi-trucks blasted past a narrow strip of roadside grass. Suspended four feet in the air, a golden dog dangled inside the green netting of a tall wire fence. Her rear paws kicked at empty space while her chest pressed against the mesh.<\/p>\n
On the gravel below, four tiny puppies scrambled against the bottom rungs. Their little noses pointed upward, yapping toward their stuck mother. The dog turned her head toward the rush of oncoming traffic, panting heavily as vehicles shook the surrounding dirt.<\/p>\n
A white pickup truck pulled onto the shoulder and came to a halt. A man stepped out, pulling dark work gloves over his fingers. He walked quickly across the grass toward the fence line.<\/p>\n
The man approached the struggling dog and placed one gloved palm against her ribcage. He spoke in a low, measured voice to keep her from thrashing. With his other hand, he began pulling the tightly wound green twine away from her shoulders.<\/p>\n
The dog ceased kicking and leaned her head forward against the top rail. Below her, the litter of pups pressed against the man\u2019s work boots, tumbling over one another in the weeds. The man methodically worked his fingers into the knotted cords that pinned her hind legs against the metal wire.<\/p>\n
Each loop had to be carefully separated to avoid pinching her skin. The traffic continued to roar just yards away, but the man kept his focus entirely on the tight weave of the net. He braced the dog\u2019s midsection with his forearm to take the weight off her twisted limbs.<\/p>\n
With a firm tug, the final strand came free from the fence post. The man gathered the mother dog securely in his arms and lowered her onto the soft green turf. Her paws touched the ground, and she instantly folded her front legs under her chest.<\/p>\n
The puppies swarmed around her neck and sides, tumbling into a tight golden heap. The man set two metal food bowls and a bowl of fresh water in the grass beside them. He sat back on his knees, watching the mother lick the head of the smallest pup.<\/p>\n
The mother dog rested her chin on the dirt, closing her eyes while her puppies nursed hungrily against her side. The man reached out and stroked the top of her golden head as the breeze moved through the tall roadside grass.<\/p>\n