One morning, as Yolanda, a teacher at San Marcos High School in Texas, was arriving at work, she had no idea that an unexpected encounter awaited her. Just as she was about to enter the school, five tiny puppies suddenly appeared, running toward her. These malnourished little ones looked up at her with pleading eyes, clearly in need of help and care. Feeling an immediate need to assist, Yolanda headed into the school and sought out her colleague, Belinda Peña, a senior administrative assistant. When Peña stepped outside to see the puppies, she noticed a cardboard box nearby and quickly realized the pups had been abandoned. The hungry puppies had managed to escape the box in search of help.
Upon picking up the box, the teachers found a heartbreaking note left by the person who had abandoned the puppies. It was written on the side of the cardboard box. The note read, “Dog shelter didn’t want them. We can’t take care of them. The original owner wanted to throw them [away]. I’m sure you can do something. I’m sorry.”
Determined to care for the pups, the teachers and staff at the school quickly took action. With the summer heat bearing down, they gave the puppies water to help them cool off. Thankfully, staff members were on hand despite it being the off-season, and they were able to provide the puppies with some much-needed attention.
“If not, who knows what would have happened?” Peña shared with The Dodo. As they awaited the arrival of animal control, the staff played with the energetic little pups. “They were the cutest things. They had big old ears … Just happy little puppies,” Peña added.
One of the teachers couldn’t resist and decided to adopt one of the puppies on the spot. Meanwhile, school counselor Kay Lynn Dodd was deeply moved by the remaining four pups. When the animal control officer arrived to take them, Dodd found herself hesitant to let them go.
“The officer was like, ‘Well, it is the end of the day, I can’t guarantee somebody’s going to be able to be there at the shelter to intake them.’ And I [was] like, ‘I can’t have that on my conscience,’” Dodd recounted to The Dodo.
Authorities have charged a New Jersey man with multiple counts of animal cruelty after they discovered several dogs in his care living in dangerous and violent conditions. Under current law, there is nothing preventing this man from owning, possessing, or caring for other animals in the future.
With that in mind, Dodd decided to take the four puppies home to foster them herself. She was determined to shower them with love and prepare them for their future homes. Thanks to her nurturing care, the puppies thrived, enjoying their time in Dodd’s home and basking in the affection she provided.
The four siblings were grateful to their foster mom, showing her endless affection. While they are loving their time with Dodd, they look forward to finding their forever families, and we have no doubt they will find them soon!
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