There is very little a devoted rescuer wouldn’t do for a dog in need. Donna Lochmann, a long-time Missouri rescuer, has proven that countless times.
In all her years helping strays, she has faced abandoned dogs, cruel conditions, and desperate calls for help.
But even for Donna, some moments leave her shaken, like the day she found a mother and her puppies in a house barely standing.
Living On Trash And Fear
It is heartbreaking enough to see a single dog struggling to survive. Seeing an entire family trapped in such misery is worse.
So when Donna and her Stray Rescue of St. Louis team in Missouri heard about a mom dog in an abandoned house, they rushed to help.
“We walk in the entryway, where a front door used to be. We see a mama dog, staring at us. She barks, her ribs and spine showing, and runs out the back door,” SRSL wrote in a YouTube video.
What they didn’t realize was how dangerous the house truly was.
Inside, piles of trash and rotten debris filled every corner. Rusty nails stuck out across the floor, and the team had to move with extreme caution.
Through the silence, Donna heard faint cries from below. The sound was coming from the basement. But the wooden stairs leading down were crumbling away.
That didn’t stop her. She carefully tried to descend, but the fragile steps gave way, and she slipped through. Somehow, she caught the wall and managed to hop down into total darkness.
There, she found what she was searching for.
Five tiny puppies huddled in corners, trembling at the presence of strangers.
They didn’t resist when Donna gently gathered them into crates. But one thing was still missing. Their mom had vanished, too terrified to let anyone near her.
That changed the moment she heard her babies cry. Their desperate sounds brought her running to the basement. At that moment, the team saw just how deeply she loved her puppies.
Fighting To Save Momma
With the puppies safe, Donna and her team turned their focus to the mother. They couldn’t leave without her, even though she was wary and hard to catch.
Two more volunteers joined in to help, and together they formed a plan.
Carefully, they cornered the frightened dog and slipped a leash around her. But walking her out wasn’t an option. The decayed house made every step dangerous, so they prepared a large crate. Passing it carefully through the debris, they carried her out toward safety.
At last, mom and her babies were reunited in the car and taken to the SRSL office.
Safe At Last
The reunion of the mother, later named Mary Berry, with her five pups was unforgettable.
Though still shaken, Mary relaxed as her puppies pressed against her, finding comfort at her side.
“We get them set up in one of our offices with comfy blankets, bowls of food, and fresh water. We reunite this little family, and it is the sweetest moment. We face so much heartbreak in rescue, but this is a good day worth celebrating,” SRSL added in the post.
The pups, named Stodgy, Shortbread, Sponge, Showstopper, and Soggy Bottom, will stay in care with Mary until adoption day comes.
For now, the little family has warmth, food, and gentle care, far from the decay and trash they once called home.
When the time is right, each of them will find a family of their own, ready to love them for the rest of their lives.