For more than twenty years, Stray Rescue of St. Louis has stood as one of Missouri’s most committed rescue groups, stepping in when others turn away.
Their purpose is clear: saving dogs who’ve been forgotten. Those left behind, injured, frightened, or broken by neglect. Again and again, they offer these animals a second chance.
Among their team is Donna Lochmann, a seasoned rescuer who has spent decades transforming lives. She’s witnessed countless stories, but some leave a deeper mark like this one.
Following A Mother’s Trail Through The Brush
Experienced rescuers know that even the quietest streets can hide urgent stories.
While driving through St. Louis, Donna spotted a filthy female dog with a swollen belly, a clear sign she had recently given birth. She wandered the area, clearly hungry and desperate for food.
Donna placed food nearby, hoping the mother would eat and then return to her puppies.
“I was hoping that once she ate and had a full belly, she would head back to her puppies. There were so many places she could have them hidden. The streets in this area are lined with abandoned houses and thick brush. After she ate, I watched her cut through yards, across streets, and into a brushy area,” Donna said.
Donna followed the dog through dense vegetation. Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the silence: it was one of her pups.
A tiny puppy had slipped into a pipe nearly two feet deep and was crying out in fear.
“There, at the bottom of the pipe, was a single black puppy, about six weeks old, whimpering and crying. She was terrified and screamed as I went to pick her up. But once safely in the jeep, her tail wouldn’t stop wagging,” Donna recalled.
While the mother barked from afar, Donna continued through the woods and soon discovered more puppies nearby.
These lively pups made the rescue challenging, but Donna stayed determined.
“I had to get one, take it to the jeep and return for the next one as they squirmed in my arms. Once all four puppies were safely in the jeep, I went to get mom,” Donna said.
An Unexpected Face In The Shadows
As Donna returned for the mother, she noticed another adult dog beside her.
“This one had two black ears. I couldn’t tell if they were siblings, or maybe one was an adult pup from a previous litter. They stayed close to each other but made their way through weeds and abandoned yards,” she explained.
Capturing them proved difficult. The traps weren’t working, and as daylight faded, Donna had to leave and try again the next day.
Her persistence paid off. On her next visit, she managed to lure one of the adults with food.
“She was nervous, scared. We wanted to get her in the jeep before she made any distressed noises that could upset the mom. We loaded her up and as we pulled away we saw her friend sitting by herself in the field across the street. It was an absolutely heartbreaking moment,” she said.
They returned for the mother, but she remained cautious and refused to enter the trap.
A Reunion That Took Everything
Food alone wasn’t enough. Donna tried a different approach. She gathered a blanket and pee pads from the foster home, all carrying the puppies’ scent, and even played a video of the pup crying in the pipe.
It worked.
At dawn, Donna found the mother resting inside the trap. Though frightened, she stayed calm as they gently moved her to safety.
After days of emotional effort, the mission was complete. The entire family was safe, and the rescuers were filled with relief.
“They will all be given all the love in the world and will then become a part of a family,” Donna said.