An employee arriving for work at the RSPCA Doncaster and Rotherham District Branch early Saturday morning expected nothing more than heavy rain and strong winds. Instead, they were met with a heartbreaking sight just outside the shelter gates.
Sitting near the road was an abandoned crate.
Inside were seven tiny puppies, soaked from the rain, trembling from the cold, and packed so tightly together they could barely move. With no food, no water and no protection from the storm, the puppies had been left completely helpless.
“The puppies were in a crate at the side of a main road, not even close to our building,” branch manager Daniel Cartwright said in a press release. “They were left in conditions that put them in serious danger, especially with the cold and rainy weather we had over the weekend.”
Thankfully, staff believe the puppies hadn’t been outside for very long.
“They were wet, cold and confused,” Cartwright said. “But as soon as they were brought inside, they responded immediately to the fuss and care from our team.”
Once safe indoors, shelter staff sprang into action. The puppies were gently bathed, fed warm meals and wrapped up in soft blankets until their little bodies warmed up. To mark their dramatic arrival, staff gave them fitting names inspired by storms: Bram, Dave, Eddie, Marty, Oscar, Patrick and Wubbo.
Now dry, cozy and surrounded by kindness, the puppies are already doing much better.
“They are all doing really well and appear healthy,” Cartwright said. “It’s devastating to think someone could simply discard them like this.”
With the danger behind them, the puppies are finally able to relax and be puppies. Shelter staff have been showering them with attention and affection while they continue to monitor their health.
The RSPCA is still hoping to learn more about where the puppies came from.
“We are keen to speak with the person who left them so we can understand their medical history,” Cartwright said. “We urge them to get in touch.”
For now, the puppies will remain in the care of the RSPCA until they’re old enough and ready to find loving forever homes — a future far brighter than the stormy morning that brought them to safety.
If you’d like to help support their care, donations can be made through the shelter’s fundraiser.
