The rescue in Missouri seemed straightforward at first.
A mother dog was there with her puppies, waiting quietly while help arrived. She was calm, watchful, and hopeful, keeping her little ones close as if she understood that this might be their chance to leave danger behind.
Once the leash was on, the rescuer started guiding the small family away.
Then movement behind a crate changed everything.
One puppy had not been seen at first. He was tinier than the rest, weaker too, and clearly having a harder time than his siblings.
What had begun as a simple rescue suddenly became something much more tender and surprising.
A Surprise Discovery
When Donna Lochmann got the call about abandoned puppies and their mother in an empty house, she was ready to help.
She gathered all the necessary equipment, including a trap, as rescuing a mom and her pups required a lot of space in her vehicle.
However, when Donna arrived at the scene, she saw something she hadn’t anticipated. It wasn’t just the mother dog and her litter.
Donna noticed another dog, larger than the others. She only had one trap large enough for this bigger dog, so this complicated things.
Upon closer inspection, Donna figured this dog was likely the mama dog’s sister. Before looking for the puppies, Donna needed to focus on rescuing the two dogs.
She placed treats in the trap and waited, hoping they would go inside. This would allow her to search for the puppies without any risk.
Finding The Puppies
Donna called the construction workers who had initially contacted Stray Rescue of St. Louis’ (SRSL) to assist in the search for the puppies.
They searched the entire yard, finally discovering them hiding under a pile of lumber.
In no time, all eight puppies were secured, and the mama dog was successfully captured in the trap.
After resetting the trap, Donna hoped the second dog would enter. Fortunately, she understood and went right inside.
Soon after, the entire family was taken to the SRSL veterinary clinic, where they received medical attention. Thankfully, they were all given a clean bill of health.
Donna and the team soon realized that the two sibling dogs, Award and Prize, were very close. They decided that they should stay together and would only be adopted as a pair.
While all the puppies have found their homes, Award and Prize are still waiting. They’ve adjusted well to their new lives and are sure to get along with anyone willing to offer them a loving home.