When a maintenance worker in Wichita, Kansas, went to check on a burst pipe inside an apartment, he expected water damage — not what he actually found.
The moment he opened the door, a foul smell filled the air. In the corner of the room sat a small plastic crate. Inside were two 7-month-old puppies, silent and clearly in distress.
“There was feces and urine just spilling out of the kennel,” Sarah Coffman, executive director of the Wichita Animal Action League, told The Dodo. “Then he realized the puppies couldn’t open their mouths … their noses were swollen and red.”
Horrified, the worker called a friend who fosters for the Wichita Animal Action League (WAAL), and within minutes Coffman and animal control officers were on their way.
Once the puppies were rushed to the vet, the awful truth became clear: tiny hair ties — the kind used for ponytails — had been wound tightly around both dogs’ muzzles.
“At first we thought it was wire because it was so tight,” Coffman said. “But when the vet clipped the rubber bands off, the blood rushed back to their noses — and the screams they made were just heartbreaking.”
The bands had likely been cutting off circulation for 12–24 hours. A few hours longer, and the siblings might have lost their sense of smell, suffered permanent damage — or worse.
Thankfully, they were rescued just in time.
After a much-needed bath, the pit bull mixes — now named Westley and Debbie — started to come back to life. Their noses remain tender, but both are expected to fully recover while enjoying love and care in a foster home.
“They’re a great testament to how resilient dogs are,” Coffman said. “They’re already playing, cuddling, and acting like happy puppies again.”
Westley has quickly revealed himself to be the adventurous one, while Debbie isn’t afraid to boss around her bigger brother when he gets too rowdy.
Soon, the siblings will be ready for their forever family. Applications are already coming in, but their rescuers can’t shake the thought of how narrowly they escaped tragedy.
“What if that pipe hadn’t burst?” Coffman reflected. “You would never think to be grateful for a flood in an apartment, but it literally saved two lives.”
If you are interested in adopting Westley and Debbie, you can fill out an application on the Wichita Animal Action League website. To help other dogs in need, you can make a donation here.
