The box was sitting on the steps of Harmony Animal Rescue when the volunteers arrived to open up one morning. It was cardboard, the flap folded down, with the word PLEASE written on the top in marker.
Inside were three puppies, approximately four weeks old, nested in a pile of old t-shirts. They were alive. They were healthy enough. And whoever had left them there had, at least, tried to keep them warm.
There was a note.
“I can’t keep them. Please take care of them. I’m sorry.”
The Work of Caring for the Very Young
Four-week-old puppies are labor-intensive. They can’t regulate their own body temperature. They need feeding every few hours. They need stimulation to help them urinate and defecate. It is, essentially, newborn care — and it requires around-the-clock commitment.
The rescue mobilized immediately. Three experienced foster families were called. Each took one puppy. Over the following four weeks, they fed, cleaned, weighed, and monitored their tiny charges with the seriousness of a medical team.
Three Separate Journeys
The puppies — named Hope, Faith, and Chance by the rescue — all thrived in foster care. By eight weeks, they were eating on their own, playing, and healthy enough to be listed for adoption.
Hope was adopted by a young couple who’d recently lost their elderly dog. Faith went to a family with two children who’d been waiting for the right dog for almost a year. Chance was adopted by one of the foster families themselves, who decided they simply couldn’t say goodbye.
“We planned to foster him temporarily,” said his now-adoptive mother, grinning. “That lasted about ten days before we knew.”
A Word About Surrender
If you are ever in a position where you cannot care for an animal, please reach out to a shelter or rescue organization directly. Surrendering an animal is not shameful — it is, in many cases, the most responsible and loving choice you can make for them.
Most rescues would far rather help you find solutions or accept a surrender directly than have animals left in boxes, however kindly intended.
There is no judgment here. Only gratitude that Hope, Faith, and Chance were left where someone would find them — and find them in time.