Abandoned Day-Old Puppies Found Along Trail Rescued By Good Samaritan

FALLSTON, MD — A good Samaritan out for a walk stumbled upon four newborn puppies abandoned along a trail in Belcamp Saturday morning. Sadly, one of the four puppies has died, but three remain in the care of the Humane Society of Harford County.

The puppies were found in a box left along the trail near Route 7 and Creswell Road. Temperatures at that time of the morning hovered in the low 50s. They were only a day or two old and hadn't even opened their eyes yet. No momma dog was seen nearby for warmth, comfort or food for these babies.

The person who discovered the pups rushed them to the HSHC where staff began warming the newborns in an incubator and administering care. One of the HSHC staff members took the litter home that night in order to bottle feed them every couple of hours throughout the overnight. Sunday, an experienced foster parent offered to help continue their care.

“Newborn puppies like these need their mother,” said Amanda Hickman, executive director at HSHC. “We’re so grateful that someone found them when they did. Just a few more hours in the cold could have been tragic.”

Despite everyone's best efforts, the smallest newborn of the litter died, but the three remaining babies are stable and growing in their foster home.

"With an abundance of care and love from shelter staff and one very committed foster family, the three remaining puppies are doing great. They are latching onto the bottle and are slowly gaining a little weight. For now, they will remain in foster care with periodic visits to the shelter for vaccines as they grow. In about eight more weeks, they will be old enough to go up for adoption," Erin Long, spokesperson for the HSHC told Patch.

The HSHC wants to remind community members that there are more humane alternatives than abandonment.

“If you find yourself with a litter you can’t care for, please call us. We — along with many other amazing rescues/shelters — are here as a resource to the community,” Hickman told Patch. “We’re here to help, with no judgement and no shaming. We have a pet food pantry, we have affordable vaccine clinics, we have resources, so no pet parent should feel their only choice is abandonment. If you're struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out. There is always help available. Please do not abandon animals — there are better, kinder options and we’re here to help you find them."

The shelter also emphasized how critical foster families are in lifesaving cases like this one.

“Our foster volunteers open their homes — and their hearts — to animals who need extra time and care before they’re ready for adoption,” Hickman added. “We truly couldn’t do this work without them.”

To learn more about becoming a foster or to contribute to the care of these puppies and others like them, visit www.harfordshelter.org.