On July 24, ten tiny puppies were thrown from a car into the bushes near the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center in California. The location, adjacent to a wilderness area, left the newborn puppies vulnerable to coyotes scavenging for food. A volunteer dog walker discovered the puppies in a vinyl pool after her own pup led her to the whimpering group. The puppies were swiftly taken to the shelter, where they received emergency medical care and were placed in foster homes. The shelter staff named them after dessert flavors: Chip, Caramel, Mint, Maple, Chocolate, Cookie Dough, Butterscotch, Cookies n Cream, Ripple, and Coffee.
As of August 8, the puppies’ mother, Holly, has been found and reunited with her litter. They are thought to be a mix of Australian shepherd and Labrador retriever. Surveillance footage captured a man discarding the puppies from his car, and he has been identified. Charges are pending with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, though the motive behind the abandonment remains unknown.
The puppies will be up for adoption once they are old enough.
