On the side of a busy highway in County Longford, Ireland, a small cardboard box sat dangerously close to speeding traffic. Inside, five tiny puppies tumbled over one another, playing as if nothing were wrong — blissfully unaware of just how much danger they were in.
“Their short lives could have ended before they’d barely begun,” the Irish Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) later shared.
Thankfully, a passerby spotted the box and immediately called for help. Within a short time, ISPCA rescuers arrived and carefully gathered the puppies, bringing them back to safety.
At the shelter, the pups were bathed, treated for parasites, and given full veterinary checkups. To everyone’s relief, they were found to be in surprisingly good health for their rough start to life.
At just 10 weeks old, they were still a little too young to be without their mother — but what they lacked in security, they more than made up for in spirit.
“All the puppies had normal, playful puppy personalities and their ordeal didn’t appear to affect them,” said Carmel Murray, ISPCA’s head of communications.
Soon, the puppies were racing around the shelter, chasing one another and delighting in new toys. Volunteers and staff showered them with attention, and the pups soaked it all up.
It wasn’t long before their lives changed completely. Each puppy was adopted into a loving home, where they’re now safe, cared for, and free to grow up without worry.
“They are now living their best lives in their new loving homes where they are loved and cared for,” Murray said.
Because one passerby stopped and the ISPCA stepped in, five little lives were saved — and given the chance to thrive.
To help more animals like these puppies, consider making a donation to the ISPCA.
