It’s one of many chronic and heartbreaking situations near our Hope Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi that is repeated often all over the state. We get calls constantly and help as often as we can, but the chronic poverty, apathy, and the lack of local affordable assistance options to help with animal companions forces us to double our efforts to effect change. Luckily, through our work on the ground, five abandoned dogs, including two puppies who were just skin and bones, will find good homes through our connections out of state once they’re healed and ready to find new homes.

In this instance, a call from the Carroll County Sheriff's Department informed us that five dogs had been abandoned and were starving. This led us to a forlorn-looking house with tall grass and weeds surrounding it.

Upon arriving on the property, we immediately saw a small blond-colored puppy as she ran out to us. The emaciated puppy, covered with fleas, seed ticks, and sores was desperate for help.

We didn’t see the other four dogs, but a call to the neighbor revealed that they were with her. Thus, a few minutes later, we found a second puppy in the same condition, plus three skinny adult dogs.

We rushed the puppies and adult dogs back to the sanctuary where they were given medicated baths, flea and tick prevention, vaccines, and dewormer.

These lucky puppies, now named Niko and Nicole, and the adult dogs will soon be leaving us and headed to new homes.

We would like to thank the Carroll County Sheriff's Department for its support of our work. The staff there never refuse to assist us when an animal is in danger and that makes all the difference in the world.

Please donate and help us save other dogs just like these five.