Abandoned puppies find homes; SEMO Pets holding adoption event

All the neglected puppies abandoned at an area high-traffic intersection in May have been fully rehabilitated and sent to loving homes within only a few weeks of being rescued, according to Tracy Poston, executive director of Southeast Missouri Pets in Cape Girardeau.

This is one of SEMO Pets's success stories, but Poston added SEMO Pets is currently at maximum capacity and urgently needs adopters.

"We are doing a 'name-your-own-price' adoption event, now through Sunday. We are way, way over capacity with cats and definitely at capacity with dogs," Poston said.

"Now is the time to adopt."

The puppies were discovered abandoned and in poor health during the last week of May.

Seeing the jeopardized puppies, a good Samaritan braved dangerous traffic to bring them to safety. According to a Facebook post by SEMO Pets, "a stream of cars and trucks" were swerving around the frightened animals without stopping or slowing down.

The June 2 post explained the animals were infested with ticks "that ringed their eyes and were clustered on their bellies, in their ears, and even between their toes." According to the post, SEMO Pets's medical team "immediately went to work," removing ticks, treating the animals for internal parasites and providing vaccines, food, water and clean blankets to the frightened pups.

"Someone had dropped (the puppies) off in the middle of the intersection by Interstate 55. Those puppies, literally, were dodging traffic," Poston recalled.

"Then, a very kind lady stopped and rescued them. She put them all in her vehicle and brought them to us."

Poston said on Wednesday she was pleased to report every puppy had since made a full recovery and found a home.

"They're all in homes now. They have all since been adopted, which we're super happy about," Poston said.

According to Poston, the black dog, named Briggs, remained unadopted after his fellow rescues had moved on.

"Briggs was the last one to be adopted. (But) he got his home as well. We were happy to see them all go from being discarded to being in loving homes. The other puppies just went a little bit faster than Briggs," Poston said, explaining black dogs, sadly, often have to wait longer to find a home.

Southeast Missouri Pets is located at 180 Weston St. in Cape Girardeau. For more information, call (573) 334-5837 or go to its website: www.semopets.org.