“I can’t believe nobody in the neighborhood came out to see what was going on …”
A heartwarming rescue mission unfolded when Donna Lochmann received a call about a family of pit bulls in need of help. The compassionate stranger who spotted them reported that there were at least three puppies hiding in an overgrown backyard, fiercely protected by their anxious mother. As the chief life-saving officer for Stray Rescue of St. Louis, Lochmann knew that rescuing the entire family would require a strategic approach.
Arriving at the scene, Lochmann observed some puppies hiding in plain sight but decided to prioritize the safety of the mother dog. Understanding her hunger, Lochmann enticed the protective mama, later named Donutfest, with a can of Vienna sausages and successfully secured her in her vehicle.
With Donutfest safely rescued, Lochmann turned her attention to locating the remaining puppies. Spotting the first one huddled by a fence, Lochmann approached cautiously. Although the puppy didn’t attempt to flee, she made her emotions abundantly clear.
“She absolutely started screaming,” Lochmann recalled. “I can’t believe nobody in the neighborhood came out to see what was going on.”
After reuniting the first puppy with her mother, Lochmann embarked on a mission to find the others. Despite their attempts to evade her in the familiar surroundings, two puppies darting into tall weeds proved challenging to catch. Rather than chasing them, Lochmann employed the same strategy she used with their mother—luring them with the scent of puppy food. The aroma guided the puppies straight into her caring arms.
With Donutfest and three of her four puppies safely secured in the car, only one little pup remained. This final puppy leapt from the abandoned couch where he had been curled up and started to sprint away. Fortunately, Lochmann managed to gently pick him up before he slipped out of reach.
“It took me a while to get the last three puppies,” Lochmann shared. “But once I got them all in the car, I was so happy.”
Following successful veterinary screenings, the puppies quickly entered foster care. As soon as Stray Rescue of St. Louis shared a photo of the four puppies together on Facebook, adoption requests poured in. The overwhelming response reflected the profound impact of their heartwarming rescue story.
“Most of them are already spoken for as far as finding their forever homes,” Lochmann revealed. “But Mama is still with us.”
While the puppies received an outpouring of love and attention online, Donutfest continues to await her own forever home. Once a downtrodden dog, she now radiates joy with a perpetual smile on her face.
“She’s completely just a happy, smiley, bouncy girl now who loves her caregivers and going on walks,” Lochmann expressed. “We would love for her to be in a home and finally get adopted.”
The staff at Stray Rescue of St. Louis remains hopeful that Donutfest will find a loving forever home soon. In the meantime, they cherish their time with this lively young dog, providing her with the love and care she deserves after a challenging start in life.
We cannot thank you enough for your selfless efforts in helping these innocent animals! We look forward to seeing updates on the adorable cats and dogs you save!
If this story made you smile or even cry, please share it with your friends and help bring awareness to this nationwide problem of homeless, neglected and abused pets.
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