Emaciated Puppies From a Neglect Case
- Florida Urgent Rescue
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
We took in three starving puppies from a heartbreaking neglect case in Putnam County. They're severely underweight and riddled with hookworms and coccidia — their little bodies are completely overwhelmed by parasites and neglect.
PookeyBj Tillman, Director of Putnam Putnam County Animal Services, immediately took them to Shelton Veterinary Clinic, where they received basic care to stabilize them. We’ll be getting them into one of our vet partners as soon as possible and will update once we know more about their condition. Thank you Pookey for going above and beyond and immediately getting them to the vet on a weekend, where many shelters wouldn't do that.
A huge thank you to Walter and Shelli Shay, who stepped up on short notice to transport all three and are temporarily fostering them while we scramble to find placement. Their kindness may have saved these puppies’ lives — but they are traveling soon and can only keep them short-term, so we’re urgently looking for fosters or adopters.
These babies are only 6 months old, but they’ve already endured more than most dogs do in a lifetime. They’re fragile, but they’re fighting — and with love and proper care, they have a chance to recover and thrive.
Just days ago, Chester, Fawn, and Abby were fighting to survive — starving, loaded with parasites, and barely hanging on. Today, they have names, a care plan, and a chance at a real future.
All three saw Dr. Wolff at Palm Valley Veterinary Center today for a full workup. We ran bloodwork, and all three puppies are still anemic, so they are getting supplements. Their Coccidia appears to be resolved, but we'll retest in 3 weeks. Chester, the littlest of the group, has raw skin from urine scalding, and he's in the worst shape.
Our huge thanks once again go to Walter and Shelli Shay, who not only pulled off an emergency weekend transport from the shelter but have also been fostering these fragile pups and taking them to vet appointments. Thank you Valerie and Talia Losego, Mercia Noble, and Erin Kupcha for assisting at the appointment, and Valerie, Susan Merrill and Brittany Rauch for helping with home visits. We could never do this without our amazing volunteers!
Now, we’re thrilled to share some good news:
Fawn and Abby are heading into what we hope will become forever homes with amazing foster-to-adopt families — Terri Runyon and Nicole Lowery. Chester, the gentlest little soul, is going to a loving foster home with Brittany Rauch.
They still have a long way to go. Our veterinary bills for these three are already over $2,000, and that number will continue to climb as they heal.
If you'd like to help us cover their vet care or are interested in adopting one of these precious pups, please check the links in the comments below.
Every donation, share, or kind word helps give them the second chance they deserve.
