Lone Puppy Survives As He and His Litter Mates Are Discarded in a Box on a Scorching Hot Day

The following story was submitted in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest. The top three finishers received $500 in cash, as well as $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. To read more stories, click here!

It was a late spring, steamy afternoon in Georgia at a popular chain pet store. Being the weekend, a group of us gathered there to promote adoptions of the fortunate few dogs and cats who hadn’t ended up at the county’s Animal Control.

At midday, two preteen boys arrived on bicycles with a scrawny-looking, but cheerful, plain brown half-pit bull puppy who would later be known as Firefoot. They handed him over to me with satisfaction, and felt they had completed their good deed… But where did he come from?

Well, fortunately for him, the boys had been riding down a four-lane road to town when they came upon a large closed cardboard box. Curious about the barely scratching noises emitted, they opened the top to a horrific sight: Firefoot there, on top of five heat-scorched, identical smothered dead bodies… but what a blessing to let this one, still alive one, out of the box!

So the boys headed off to continue their trip to town, but later, they noticed the fragile pup trying his best to follow them. Eventually they decided if he was this determined, they needed to retrieve him and take him to the first destination they could think of.

Of course, this agency was at capacity or even over, so the only option was to call animal control. Shockingly, in our county pit bulls are ONLY allowed to be released to the current owner. There is no adoption opportunity; they are “humanely” killed.

None of us could personally take on another dog, but I wasn’t going to let Animal Control have him for sure! He was so thankful and cheerful, though hurt and lame. You see, when he was following the boys on the road, his feet got scalded on the asphalt.

He lovingly and forgivingly joined my family while we found the perfect home for him in Florida. Having burned feet. I had to call him “Firefoot”.

This story was submitted by Rebecca Turner in support of ARME Beagle Freedom Project (Animal Rescue Media & Education). To read other stories from the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest, click here!