Sadly, it’s becoming all too common to see abandoned dogs struggling to survive on their own. Still, for those who truly care about animals, every heartbreaking sight leaves a lasting impact.
That’s exactly what happened to Stephanie Castillo, who stumbled upon a gut-wrenching scene that made her stomach turn. Sitting just outside a rescue center in Chino Hills, California, was a cramped cage holding seven neglected dogs.
The animals were clearly in distress, and Stephanie knew she had to step in—fast.
She Knew She Couldn’t Just Walk Away
With limited experience in emergency rescue situations like this, Stephanie was unsure of her next steps. She had no clue where the dogs had come from or who had left them there.
But since they were abandoned outside Priceless Pet Rescue, the most logical first move was to try to get help from the organization itself. Unfortunately, the shelter was closed that day. Still, Stephanie knew she couldn’t walk away—not after seeing the condition the dogs were in.
“It seemed like [they’d been] there for a while because they were sitting in their own filth and panting … I also noticed there was a blind senior dog that was in really bad shape,” Stephanie told The Dodo.
Not ready to give up, Stephanie called her local humane society for assistance. She thought she had found a solution—until they informed her that they couldn’t send help for a few hours.
Given how poor the dogs’ condition was, she knew waiting wasn’t an option. And leaving them behind was out of the question. So, she took the only remaining path forward—she brought all seven dogs home with her.
A Step Toward A Brighter Future
Once she got the dogs back to her house, Stephanie was relieved to finally free them from the tiny cage. But seeing them up close for the first time was even more heartbreaking.
“They … looked like they had been through a lot,” Stephanie said.
After being fed and taken for a short walk, the pups seemed to perk up a bit. Soon after, staff from the humane society arrived and transferred the dogs to Priceless Pet Rescue in Costa Mesa, California.
Although the road to recovery was still ahead of them, Stephanie was thrilled that the dogs were now safe and had a shot at a new beginning.
The rescue named the dogs Hal, Reese, Dewey, Francis, Malcolm, Lois, and Rudy. They quickly started sharing their stories on social media, hoping to find them loving homes.
Luckily, four of the pups didn’t have to wait long before they were adopted. Only three are still searching for their forever families—but their time is surely coming.
After everything they endured, they truly deserve nothing but happiness.