On a bitterly cold morning in South Dakota, Jordan Fiegen noticed something odd near her parents’ trailer park — a crate sitting out in the open after a night of heavy rain.
Curious and concerned, she walked over to investigate. What she found stopped her in her tracks: seven shivering puppies, soaked and silent, curled tightly together in the freezing water that had pooled inside the crate.
“Their fur was filthy, matted with mud and rainwater,” Fiegen told The Dodo. “They weren’t even crying or barking — I think they were just so close to giving up.”
The pups’ only warmth came from each other, their little bodies pressed close to survive the cold. Fiegen learned the puppies belonged to a dog living nearby in the trailer park, but their owner was nowhere to be found.
Realizing time was running out, Fiegen didn’t hesitate. She carefully gathered the puppies from the freezing crate and brought them inside, determined to save them. Soon after, the owner agreed to surrender the puppies into rescue care.
“We gave them warm baths right away,” Fiegen said. “We had to warm them up slowly so we didn’t shock their little systems.”
Once clean and dry, the transformation was unbelievable. Beneath the layers of grime, the puppies had soft, snowy-white coats. As they nestled into their new blankets and drifted off to sleep, Fiegen couldn’t hold back the emotion.
“I just cried,” she said. “They had no idea how close they were to not making it.”
She reached out to Almost Home Canine Rescue (AHCR), who stepped in to coordinate their care and placed the pups — now named Bluey, Bingo, Bert, Ernie, Bear, Kona, and Nova — into three loving foster homes.
After visits to the vet and some much-needed TLC, the puppies began to thrive. Their energy returned, their personalities bloomed, and those once-frozen little bodies became bundles of joy.
“They're so playful now,” Fiegen said. “It’s hard to believe they’re the same puppies I found barely moving.”
Soon, these seven survivors will be ready to start the next chapter of their journey — in forever homes filled with warmth, love, and safety.
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If you’re interested in adopting one of these sweet pups, you can apply here. To support Almost Home Canine Rescue in saving more lives like theirs, consider donating here. 💛🐾
