Earlier this month, the newest staff member at Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals (CARE) arrived for her shift before sunrise — and immediately froze.
Sitting outside the shelter’s front door was a sealed cardboard box with a handwritten message scrawled across the top:
“6 puppies … Around 2 months.”
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“This was the first time she’d ever found dumped animals on our property, so it really caught her off-guard,” CARE’s executive director, Alexandra Mounger, told The Dodo. “Luckily, our program coordinator and I pulled in not long after.”
Together, they rushed the box inside and gently cut through the tape. When they lifted the flaps, their hearts sank — six tiny puppies were curled together in a tight pile, trembling on a scrap of cloth.
Staff quickly moved the pups into kennels, offering fresh water, soft bedding and plenty of food. They spoke softly, handling each puppy with slow, reassuring movements.
“Almost all of them were terrified,” Mounger said. “They’d freeze up whenever we picked them up to move or clean them. Most of them would flatten themselves against the backs of their kennels. It must’ve been incredibly scary — taken from their mom, left in a dark box with no food or water.”
Since CARE isn’t meant for long-term housing, the team scrambled to reorganize space. Eventually, they cleared an area where the puppies — newly named Luke, Han, Finn, Kylo, Leia and Rey — could play safely.
That’s when everything changed.
“Luke is definitely the loudest if something isn’t going his way,” Mounger said with a laugh. “He’s independent and adventurous, but he still wants attention from his siblings. Finn was the best-behaved at first, never making noise or knocking things over. But once he got into the playpen… he couldn’t resist joining Luke’s antics. Still, he always needed to be right in the middle of the nap pile.”
Today, all six puppies are thriving in loving foster homes. They’ll stay there until they’re ready to search for forever families.
Mounger hopes their story reminds people how important it is to support local rescue organizations. CARE has seen demand skyrocket in the past five years, pushing staff and resources to the limit. Becoming a foster — especially for larger breeds — can make a massive difference. Donations are equally impactful.
To prevent situations like this entirely, Mounger urges pet owners to spay and neuter, train their pets, and seek help early for behavioral issues.
If the community works together, puppies like Luke, Han, Finn, Kylo, Leia and Rey can grow up safe, loved and never abandoned again.
If you’d like to help animals just like them, consider making a donation to CARE.
