ANIMAL SHELTER
Swift action by the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter and its rescue partners saved the lives of nine newborn puppies who were left in a box labeled “Free Puppies, can’t afford, sorry.”
SMRAS Community Engagement Coordinator Minnie Buckhaults emphasized that puppies that age need “aroundthe- clock” care, so staff took the puppies overnight to ensure they were warm and fed overnight. Then rescue partners stepped in from there.
A good Samaritan found the puppies while out in the community and immediately brought them to SMRAS.
Buckhaults said the shelter took swift action.
“Because of their extremely young age, our first step was to contact our program coordinators to see if foster homes or rescue organi- zations could step in to provide care,” Buckhaults said. “Thanks to rapid community sharing and outreach, we were able to secure rescue commitments from Love and Puppy Paws, Orphaned Annies and Foster2Forever in a very short amount of time.”
Buckhaults said the rescue partners placed the puppies in committed foster families, where they will remain until they are old enough for adoption.
“This support is critical for municipal shelters like ours,” Buckhaults said. “We cannot turn animals away, while rescues are able to limit intake as they find homes. Transferring the puppies allowed us to relieve pressure on shelter space, staff and foster resources.”
The rescues could ensure the puppies were placed in foster homes that could give the constant care that they needed.
“Bottle-fed puppies require feeding every two to three hours, help with using the bathroom and constant monitoring — a full-time commitment for foster caregivers,” Buckhaults said. “Because they are so young, they will not be available for adoption until they are older — typically around eight weeks of age — once they are weaned from bottle feeding and have received their initial vaccinations.”
Buckhaults said that there have been community concerns regarding the puppies’ mother, but she was not found.
“Our Animal Protection Officers conducted a thorough search but were unable to locate her,” Buckhaults said. “Her whereabouts remain unknown.”
According to Buckhaults, situations like this highlight the need for spaying and neutering pets.
“PALS, [which stands for] Prevent A Litter, is a great local resource for pet owners seeking spay and neuter assistance and can help connect families to affordable options,” Buckhaults said. “Emancipet also provides low-cost spay and neuter services through their mobile clinic, making these services more accessible to our community.”
Buckhaults encouraged anyone in need of assistance finding low-cost spay or neuter resources to contact the shelter at animalservicesinfo@sanmarcostx. gov. The shelter is located at 750 River Road, and the phone number is (512) 805-2650.
