Dog and Her Starving Puppies Found Locked in Crate at Construction Site

A Florida animal shelter is working to save the lives of a mother dog and her eight puppies who were all found locked inside a "rusty metal crate" at a construction site.

Gut-wrenching photos of the emaciated and fearful canines were shared on social media by the Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB), which referred to the animals' ordeal as "absolutely deplorable" in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

As of Wednesday, the mom and most of the eight puppies are in better condition, but still receiving medical attention, HSTB spokesperson Regan Blessinger told Newsweek in an email. Blessinger said two puppies are still in "unstable" condition, requiring an "intensive medical care plan."

"Mom and six of the puppies are doing much better after treatment and constant food and medical attention," Blessinger said to Newsweek. "They are still underweight and have parasites, but they were given baths, antibiotics, and more to lead to recovery. Two of the puppies are in an unstable condition, skinnier than the rest, and severely anemic. They are in a special foster care home with a vet tech in order to give them the extra attention they need."

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Dog and Starving Puppies Rescued

A mother dog, named Poppy by HSTB, was found locked in a crate with her eight puppies at a Florida construction site. The puppies were emaciated and had parasites and fleas.

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HSTB, a nonprofit organization in Tampa that provides shelter and services for homeless and at-risk animals, said the dogs were rescued after a worker showed up to his job at a construction site in the nearby city of Riverview on Monday afternoon.

"Since it was a Monday and the site was closed for the weekend, there was no telling how long those poor dogs were there in the heat and rain," HSTB said, which noted that all nine canines were "stuffed" in the locked crate for an unknown period.

Blessinger said HSTB has no information on the owners or why the dogs were left in the "sweltering" heat, but said if they find out who left the dogs for dead, those individuals could face animal cruelty charges.

"We can assume the puppies and mom were not treated well before they were abandoned, Blessinger said. "But since the job site was closed for the weekend, we are not sure how long they were stuck inside of that crate in the sweltering heat and rain. But due to the state of emaciation and parasites, we can tell they were not taken care of before then."

The construction worker who found the dogs transported the mom and puppies to HSTB, where the medical intake staff began to administer aid immediately. However, the shelter staff said they quickly discovered that the puppies were in very poor shape, saying they were "emaciated, starving, and full of parasites and fleas."

"Some even had to have emergency blood transfusions due to how anemic they were," HSTB said. "We cannot imagine what they have gone through but are grateful they are in our care to be taken care of. Their conditions are unstable, but we are going to do everything in our power to save their lives."

The mama dog, named Poppy by HSTB, has an eye ulcer and is also on a regimen of eye medication, Blessinger told Newsweek.

HSTB also shared photos of the severely malnourished animals on its Instagram. In one image, a scrawny puppy looks at the camera as his ribs poke out and his eyes appear sunken.

The puppies are about 4 weeks old, Blessinger said, adding that the mom is some sort of terrier, and based on how the puppies look, HSTB believes the dad was a "Pit Bull type dog." Once the pooches are fully recovered and the puppies are at least 8 weeks old, Blessinger said, they will be available for adoption.

However, Blessinger has a warning for people considering adopting an animal, cautioning that "pets are a lifetime commitment. Please do not get a pet if you are not willing to provide for them."

"If you need help, ask," Blessinger told Newsweek. "There are resources available, from free food to rehoming options, that your local shelter can help assist with. And especially, plan ahead. If you are unable to care for your pets, make a plan. Do not immediately decide to abandon them, work with your local shelter."

Update 07/19/23, 4:50 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from HSTB spokesperson Regan Blessinger.