Volunteer Opens Cardboard Boxes Left on the Street and Discovers Countless Babies

Volunteer Finds Puppies Abandoned in Cardboard Boxes on a Scorching Day

On a hot day in early December, a volunteer arrived at Sgt. Pepper’s Friends animal rescue in Aruba to open the gates. What they found outside the fence was unexpected and upsetting — two taped-up cardboard boxes with small holes punched into the sides.

A Heartbreaking Discovery

Peering through one of the holes, the volunteer spotted a tiny furry body pressed against the opening. They quickly brought the boxes inside, placing them in a shaded area in the parking lot before opening the flaps.

Inside, they found a litter of 8-week-old puppies huddled together. The puppies looked distressed but were visibly relieved to be with people again.

“The puppies were hot and thirsty,” said Dayenne, the rescue manager at Sgt. Pepper’s Friends. “They had ticks and fleas but were definitely used to being around humans because they were so happy to see the volunteers.”

Caring for the Puppies

Since abandoned puppies are at risk of illnesses like parvovirus, the rescue team needed to keep them quarantined from other animals. The pups had to be carefully assessed, dewormed, and vaccinated before being introduced to the rest of the rescue.

However, space was a challenge. “The issue is that when we are full, like always, we don’t really have anywhere to put them,” Dayenne explained.

A Growing Problem

This isn’t the first time puppies have been abandoned outside Sgt. Pepper’s Friends. Over the last six months, similar boxes of pups have been left twice. Even the neighboring spay and neuter clinic, the Animal Welfare Alliance (AWA), has experienced the same issue.

A Hopeful Future

Once the puppies are healthy and vaccinated, they’ll be available for adoption on the island and in Toronto. They will also be sent to rescue partners in the Netherlands at 4 months old and to the U.S. at 6 months old, giving them a chance at a brighter future.