FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — An adorable litter of puppies was found abandoned inside an open suitcase at a Fort Bend County park Thursday morning.
A jogger came across the luggage at 7:30 a.m. while on a path at Mission West Park in Mission Bend. The person called 911, but when the deputy got there, the caller had already taken off.
The thought of abandoning the siblings infuriates animal lover Brandie Smith, who takes walks on that path.
“Devastating, unhappy. They could’ve brought them to me. I stay right there. I love dogs," Smith said.
The precious puppies, three males and two males, are currently snuggling together at Fort Bend County’s animal shelter in Rosenberg. The five new pups arrived just one day after the shelter put out a "code red" cry for help.
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The shelter says they recently received many dogs and they are completely out of space.
“Unfortunately, we do get a lot of animals that are dumped off. That’s how our strays come about, but puppies in a suitcase? I’ve been here about 24 years; I haven’t had that one yet,” said Rene Vasquez, director of Fort Bend County Animal Services.
Vasquez said the pups appear to be a Shepherd-Husky mix and 4 to 5 weeks old. Despite being left in the park without food and water, the litter is in overall good health. Vasquez adds it’s obvious their mom or previous owner fed them well. The dogs have just a minor issue the shelter is addressing.
“The only thing, there is a little bit of a skin condition, if you notice. It could just be flea allergies, or may be a type of mange, but it’s definitely no big deal for us, and we’re definitely going to give them what they need,” Vasquez said.
The guess is the puppies were left at the park overnight, and the owner was possibly hoping someone that would find them at the popular park.
Right now, the hope is they recover and soon find a new home of their own. The shelter already has nearly 150 dogs and needs help. They are almost at full capacity with animals.
“We don’t like puppies in shelters because they can get sick,” Vasquez said.
The little pups are currently under the care of a vet, and they’ll soon be ready to be fostered. They’re still a bit too young to be spayed and neutered, but when they are, they can be adopted.
The shelter said there will be no adoption fees for these dogs through June 2. For more information, visit their website.
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