While hiking through the scenic foothills of Idaho’s Owyhee Mountains, two hikers came across something unexpected just off the trail — a large plastic bin, oddly out of place in the rugged wilderness.
Curious and concerned, they walked over — and were heartbroken by what they saw inside.
Seven underweight, frightened puppies were huddled together, abandoned and alone in the bin.
“They were horrified to find them left out there,” Melissa Blackmer, director of Lake Lowell Animal Rescue, told The Dodo.
The hikers wasted no time. They carried the puppies down from the mountains and began reaching out for help. But with most nearby shelters overwhelmed, it was difficult to find anyone who could take them.
Finally, they connected with Lake Lowell Animal Rescue. Though the organization was also stretched thin, they couldn’t turn the puppies away.
Once safe, the puppies received veterinary care and warm shelter. And slowly, the effects of their ordeal began to fade.
“They were a little nervous at first,” Blackmer said. “But it was clear they’d had human contact before — they warmed up quickly and began to play.”
With the rescue at capacity, staff reached out to their trusted network of foster families. One by one, the puppies were placed in loving foster homes, where they could begin to recover fully and prepare for a brighter future.
Now, these resilient pups are thriving. They’re gaining weight, gaining confidence, and getting ready to find forever homes.
Blackmer is deeply thankful to the fosters who stepped up in the puppies’ hour of need.
“Foster homes are absolutely essential to what we do,” she said. “They’re just as important as the forever homes we strive to find.”
Because of a few kind hikers and a community of compassionate fosters, seven hopeful little pups will get the life they were always meant to have.
Want to support more rescues like this? You can donate to Lake Lowell Animal Rescue and help save lives.
