Two puppies are lucky to be alive after being dumped outside an Arkansas animal shelter next to a busy road in the middle of the night.
Furgiven Animal Sanctuary, a small private rescue in West Memphis that focuses on dogs in need of “special attention,” shared CCTV footage of the moment two pups were spotted outside their facility at around 2:30 a.m. one morning.
Shelters across the U.S. are undoubtedly witnessing an increase in the number of animals being surrendered. According to the Shelter Animals Count, a national database which surveys nearly 7,000 shelters across the U.S., 177,000 more dogs and cats entered the shelter system nationwide in 2023 compared with a year earlier.
Lee Ridings, the Co Founder, Vice President, and Director of day to day operations at Furgiven Animal Sanctuary reckons this may explain why the two dogs were abandoned in this manner. “I’m sure they were left in the middle of the night because most shelters in the area are full and they were afraid they would be denied admission,” he said. “I can’t confirm anything but based on the area I’d guess they were part of an accidental litter.”
But while Ridings might understand why they chose to surrender the two puppies, the manner in which they did so left him shocked. “It’s already hot here this time of year but they were left next to a busy road,” he said. “Their crate was dumped maybe a foot from the road. It had no bottom, instead they lined it with roofing shingles.”
Ridings doesn’t know how long it took the puppies to break out but they began setting off the security cameras around the shelter from around 2:30 a.m.. “When we arrived at 8 a.m. they were gone,” he said. We looked around and couldn’t find them anywhere. Our biggest concern was the busy road. We feared they would be run over.”
Careful not to spook the two dogs, Ridings and his colleagues left the crate where they found it, hoping that even if they couldn’t find them, the dogs would find a way back. They eventually did and, after 45 minutes of gentle coaxing, the shelter’s staff were able to leash them and bring them inside to safety.
The video posted to TikTok under the handle furgivensanctuary captures the moment they returned “abandoned and petrified.” It sparked understandable anger among those watching the clip online. “Ugh. People are so evil. Thank you for giving them a new home,” one user wrote. “Who could abandon such beautiful animals who will love you unconditionally? People suck!!”
He is however pleased to report that both dogs are doing great now and have been named Brynn and Dell in what is a play on the fact they have brindle coats.
“They’ve already been to the vet and besides needing to gain some weight, they are in good health,” he said. “They are very sweet and have started to learn simple commands, like sit. Both of them are ready to find their furever homes.”
Though it’s only been a short time, Ridings already has an idea of the kind of dogs they are and the sort of home they need.
“Brynn is very sweet, she loves to play but loves cuddles just as much. Dell has a bit more energy but is definitely just as sweet,” he said. “The perfect home would be one that will provide them love and patience because they are still puppies and still learning.”
Furgiven is a 100 percent donation-run facility. “We pull dogs from other shelters that need ‘special attention,'” he said. “Whether that be special medical attention, socializing, or just a fresh start after sitting in a rescue for a couple years.
“We tend to have quite a few special needs dogs with neurological disabilities. With the cost of vetting and extensive care they require it is hard for them to survive in a normal shelter setting.
“It’s very important to us that the dogs in our care lives are not ‘on hold’. We want them to experience love, adventure and friendship while here. So we do lots of outings and play groups.”
Whether it’s a rescue dog, stray or special needs up, to Ridings’ message is clear: no dog is broken, just different, and still deserving of a happy life. The hope now is that Brynn and Dell can find theirs.