Puppies just days old left to die in garbage bag in Texas heat — but luckily, a good Samaritan found them first

Almost an entire litter of puppies is alive and well, thanks to a kind-hearted individual who found the little dogs abandoned in a garbage bag and took them to a local animal shelter.

On Thursday, the individual — identified only as "a good Samaritan" — found eight puppies in a garbage bag near a dumpster in Austin, Texas. At the time, temperatures in the city had soared to more than 90 degrees, and a storm had also recently swept through the area, so helping the animals receive medical attention as soon as possible was critical.

The good Samaritan took the eight pups to Austin Pets Alive!, an animal shelter which claims to "pioneer comprehensive, innovative programs designed to save the animals most at risk for euthanasia." Veterinarians and other staff members there estimated that the puppies were just two or three days old.

The person "probably saw them writhing around in the bag and did something, and that is huge," said Ellen Jefferson, president and CEO of APA!.

It appears the puppies were brought to the shelter just in time. They were already suffering from hunger and hypoglycemia. All were in critical condition. One has since died, but thanks to the around-the-clock care they have received at APA! in the last few days, the other seven seem to be recovering well.

"I know they would have died if they had been out there in the storm the other night, or if they had been there, you know, longer than the day," Jefferson said. "So my guess is that they were probably placed by the trash that morning."

8 puppies abandoned inside garbage bag in near triple-digit heat in Austin | FOX 7 Austinyoutu.be

While identifying the breed is difficult in puppies so young, Jefferson suggested that "they look like little shepherd things," and one local woman has already volunteered to foster three of them. "They're so cute," remarked Sanaz Mozafarian. "I'm just really hoping to bring them home and give them some love and some warmth and help them to grow up."

For those who want to help but are unable to foster the other puppies or any other animals at the shelter, APA! will gladly accept financial donations. "It can cost over $1000 per puppy to provide basic medical care and supplies," Jefferson claimed. She directed those interested in making a donation to visit the organization's website.

Jefferson also said that while she tries to have "empathy" for whoever abandoned the puppies, she called the decision to leave the puppies to die in the sweltering heat "heartbreaking," "cruel," and "just not acceptable." She and others at the shelter want the public to know that resources such as those provided by APA! are available for those who cannot afford veterinary care for their pets. "There are other options out there," she insisted.

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