Passerby saves abandoned puppies

Left shivering and alone in a cardboard box just weeks before Christmas, two abandoned six-week-old puppies could have met a tragic end if not for a Good Samaritan, says the Calgary Humane Society.

The cuddly sisters, thought to be German shepard crosses, were ditched behind a truck at the East Hills Costco parking lot on Nov. 30, as temperatures dipped to around -10 C. Fortunately, the truck’s owner discovered the pups in the box with Subway markings, and took them directly to the humane society, cold but otherwise in good health, said Brad Nichols, senior manager of animal cruelty investigations.

“Fortunately, I don’t think the puppies were there that long,” he said.

“They were left behind a vehicle where they could have been run over and they were left in cold temperatures. The age of the puppies and the low temperatures of the day could have had a catastrophic outcome had they not been found so quickly and turned in.”

Humane society officials have been poring over surveillance footage from the day the puppies were abandoned, in an area of the parking lot between the Costco and a bottle depot, but so far have come up empty. That’s prompted a public plea for help to identify the person who left them behind.

Due to the potential for serious harm to the animals, Nichols said whoever is responsible could face charges under provincial animal care legislation or even federal criminal code offences for animal cruelty.

Ultimately, if people aren’t able to care for animals, there are places to turn without putting them in harm’s way, Nichols said.

“There’s too much support available for them to be abandoned like this,” he said, noting shelters, nonprofits and veterinarians are among the options for those unable to care for animals.

“And the humane society should be at the top of the list in a case like this.”

Apart from coming in cold and afraid, Nichols said the young siblings appear to be in good health, and he expects they could be up for adoption in the next few weeks.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Calgary Humane Society at 403205-4455 or click on the “report cruelty” link at calgaryhumane.ca

DEAN PILLING Two female Shepard-cross puppies were discovered in a box behind a vehicle near the Easthills Costco on November 30. Humane society officials are looking for their owner.