Last week, San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) received a heart-wrenching call during an already difficult situation. While the team attempted to keep their hundreds of rescue dogs warm amid an arctic cold front, they learned about a group of abandoned dogs fending for themselves outside.
“Several pets … were left outside in the recent freezing temperatures and were discovered in distress,” SAACS wrote in a Facebook post.
When SAACS’s animal care officers arrived, they were shocked to discover a fluffy pile of babies huddled together for warmth.
“[Three] puppies, less than a week old, were lying directly on frozen ground,” SAACS wrote.
In addition to the puppies, the rescuers found their parents, later named Honey and Butters, shivering nearby.
“The parents, mom Honey and dad Butters, were enduring the bitter cold …” SAACS wrote.
The team collected the family of five, plus the other pets left outside, and loaded everyone into their warm van. They drove directly to their animal emergency room, where each animal received the individual medical care they needed.
The puppies, later named Biscuit, Jam and Jelly were in serious condition when they arrived, but with SAACS’s love and care, they soon began to thrive. Their parents, Honey and Butters, were more than relieved to know that their tiny family was safe.
Once everyone received a clean bill of health, SAACS began searching for adoptive or foster homes for the dogs. They quickly grew to love the tiny family, but with limited space at the shelter, they knew the pups would be better off in warm homes.
“True to her name, Honey is super sweet, and she is super nice as well,” SAACS wrote on their website. “She loves treats … and her babies are just the cutest!”
Butters landed the perfect foster home first, leaving Honey and her babies at the shelter while they waited for their own. It took a little longer to find someone who would foster a mom and her babies, but, thankfully, they’ve since found a temporary home.
While Honey, Butters, Biscuit, Jam and Jelly have exciting futures ahead in foster care, they’re all still on the hunt for forever families. When the puppies are old enough, SAACS hopes to adopt them out to loving homes.
They’re eager for Honey and Butters to find their own forever homes, too. Until then, they’ll keep breathing deep sighs of relief that they were able to rescue the tiny family in the first place.