Bachelor Party Turns Into Puppy Rescue Mission

A groom and his groomsmen found a dog and her seven puppies in the woods.

ByABC News
October 27, 2016, 8:25 AM

— -- A Michigan groom’s bachelor party was hijacked in the best way when a dog showed up at the cabin where he and his friends were staying and stole their hearts.

Mitchel Craddock of Vicksburg, Michigan, took family and friends to the woods in Tennessee for his bachelor party. The first morning there, they noticed a dog outside the front door.

“We were cooking bacon with the door open. The next thing you know, there’s this dog sitting right at the front door. She wouldn’t come inside, but she sat right there,” he told ABC News.

PHOTO: A groom and his groomsmen's bachelor party in Tennessee was taken over when they discovered this dog - a mother of 7 puppies.
A groom and his groomsmen's bachelor party in Tennessee was taken over when they discovered this dog - a mother of 7 puppies.

The group of eight men quickly became friends with the furry party crasher. “She was such a sweet dog that once we gained her trust, she was happy to see us, wagging her tail — just a big sweetheart,” he said.

Craddock said he could tell the dog recently had pups, but she was dehydrated and malnourished, so her milk had dried up.

“After we gave her a bunch of food and water, she started producing milk again. So we figured if she’s making milk, her pups can’t be that old.”

Then they noticed the dog was protecting a spot in the woods. There they found a big hole with puppies — seven of them. “We set each pup individually down in front of her, and she nuzzled their faces, and she checked out the pups, and to the person holding them, she gave the look of ‘It’s OK, I trust you,’” Craddock said.

PHOTO: The bachelor party attendees found this puppy, along with 6 others, in a hole dug in the woods.
The bachelor party attendees found this puppy, along with 6 others, in a hole dug in the woods.
PHOTO: Each of the puppies were rescued from the woods, washed and fed. The groom took one of them home and the rest were adopted by the groomsmen and their relatives.
Each of the puppies were rescued from the woods, washed and fed. The groom took one of them home and the rest were adopted by the groomsmen and their relatives.

Although the pups had to be washed of dirt and fleas, Craddock said he was surprised by how healthy they were. “Every single one had a big fat belly on them. The mom had given the pups literally everything she had.”

PHOTO: These men didn't expect expect to be caring for puppies when they left for the woods in Tennessee for a bachelor party.
These men didn't expect expect to be caring for puppies when they left for the woods in Tennessee for a bachelor party.

All eight dogs, including the mom, were adopted by the groom and his groomsmen or their relatives. Their new happy homes are close to one another — within a 5-mile radius, Craddock said.

Craddock and his groomsmen didn’t expect to be caring for puppies at the bachelor party. “We pooled a bunch of money to buy food and beer. After the third day, our beer fund turned into puppy food fund,” he said.

PHOTO: The 7 puppies that were found during the bachelor party now all have homes in Vicksburg, Michigan.
The 7 puppies that were found during the bachelor party now all have homes in Vicksburg, Michigan.
PHOTO: The pups were in healthy condition when the men found them. "Every single one had a big fat belly on them," said Craddock, the groom.
The pups were in healthy condition when the men found them. "Every single one had a big fat belly on them," said Craddock, the groom.

However, he has no regrets. His wife, Kristen, was excited for him to come home with a new puppy. “I proposed to her with our chocolate Lab, and now it’s our joke that for any of our big life events, we’ll get a dog,” Craddock said.

PHOTO: Mitchel Craddock (right), the groom, said his grandparents took the mom home. Her pups were adopted by the groomsmen or their relatives and Craddock also took one of them home.
Mitchel Craddock (right), the groom, said his grandparents took the mom home. Her pups were adopted by the groomsmen or their relatives and Craddock also took one of them home.