The cold that morning in South San Antonio was sharp and unforgiving, settling over the concrete and open spaces where warmth was hard to find. It was the kind of day when even people hurried inside, pulling jackets close and seeking shelter from the chill. Animal control officers arrived in the area responding to a routine report about a stray dog, expecting nothing more than a quick rescue and transport. Instead, as they moved through the quiet surroundings, an uneasy stillness hung in the air. Something about the scene felt off, as though unseen lives nearby were silently waiting, holding on through the cold with nothing but hope to keep them going.
After securing the stray dog, the officers scanned the surrounding area before leaving. That was when something unusual caught their attention. Resting on a slab of concrete were what looked like small, unmoving clumps of fur. As the officers stepped closer, two exhausted puppies slowly lifted their heads, their eyes dull but alert.
“They were just lying there prone,” Lisa Norwood, public relations manager at San Antonio Animal Care Services, told The Dodo. “They weren’t moving.”
Concern set in immediately. The puppies did not try to run. They did not whimper or cry out. They simply watched, too weak to react. As the officers moved closer, more tiny faces appeared from beneath the concrete. One by one, four additional puppies poked their heads out, blinking in the dim light.
“You would assume that maybe the puppies would react in some way, get scared,” Norwood said. “No, they just watched as the officers were coming up.”
The puppies had carved out a makeshift shelter beneath a concrete slab near a drainage spillway. Trash, dirt, and debris surrounded them. Curled tightly together, they had relied on each other for warmth and comfort, waiting out the cold with no sign of their mother anywhere nearby.
An officer carefully reached into the dark space, gently pulling the puppies toward safety while trying to keep them from crawling farther into the den. As more tiny bodies emerged, it became clear this was no small group.
By the time the rescue ended, officers had recovered eleven puppies.
“When they pulled them out, they were in relatively poor condition,” Norwood said. “They had pale gums, they were dehydrated, just fleas everywhere.”
The puppies were rushed to San Antonio Animal Care Services alongside the stray dog found earlier. Each puppy was examined by a veterinarian and treated for parasites. Their frail bodies told a story of survival under harsh conditions, and no one could say how long they had been alone.
“We have no idea how long these guys had been out there,” Norwood said. “We estimated they were about two months old.”
A Slow and Gentle Recovery
Because of their fragile state, SAACS reached out to San Antonio Pets Alive for help. The partner shelter immediately stepped in, providing the puppies with the care and attention they desperately needed.
Over the following weeks, shelter staff and veterinary teams monitored the puppies closely. Several tested positive for an intestinal parasite, but with treatment, rest, and proper nutrition, they began to show steady improvement. Their eyes grew brighter. Their movements became stronger. Their trust in humans slowly returned.
Four of the puppies have already moved into warm foster homes, where soft blankets replaced cold concrete. There, they are learning what safety feels like and discovering the comfort of gentle hands and full bowls.
“They are very sweet,” San Antonio Pets Alive shared in an email. “[They] have a lot of puppy love to give.”
Now, the once silent den is a distant memory. The puppies spend their days playing, cuddling, and developing their own personalities. One pup named Lando has quickly made a name for himself by confidently doing exactly what he wants, whenever he wants.
After everything he has endured, no one seems to mind.
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