Two German shepherd puppies were found seeking refuge from the chilling cold and wind under a porch in Minnesota.
Homeowners in Cokato, about 50 miles west of Minneapolis, were surprised to find the pair of German shepherd puppies hiding under their porch.
The puppies, estimated to be between 12 and 14 weeks old, were seen huddled together trying to stay warm in the porch as temperatures dropped below zero degrees with wind chills.
Ruff Start Rescue, an animal rescue organization who helped rescue the two pups, said homeowners first discovered the pair in the early afternoon on Feb. 18.
“It is likely they bedded down there the night before to seek shelter from the elements and then were noticed the morning of the 18th when they were poking their heads out and sniffing around the yard,” Kendra Plaschko with Ruff Start Rescue told USA TODAY this week, adding the two “darted as soon as the homeowners attempted to get close to them, seeking their safe spot under the porch.”
Plaschko said the homeowners decided to give the situation a few hours to see if anyone would come looking for them and even tried getting the word out on social media, but no one came forward, though there were numerous accounts of people “seeing these two puppies running along” for four days prior.
Eventually, the homeowners contacted Ruff Start Rescue and alerted them of the situation and the team set to bring out the puppies from their hiding place. It took hours and a tempting bribe of rotisserie chicken before they were able to successfully lure the puppies out.
Pups sustained frostbite
While the pups fortunately survived the cold spell, they did sustain frostbite on their noses and paws. Plaschko said both she and another staff member got wind burn on their faces as they attempted to capture the two pups.
Once the puppies were secured, the next step was to acclimate them gently in order avoid shock or even seizures from sudden temperature changes.
“The pups stayed at 65 degrees overnight and then the foster taking care of them increased the temperature from there,” the organization said. The two pups are in foster with Meg L., the organization’s intake manager “who has years of experience with ‘power breeds’ such as German Shepherds as well as shy/fearful dogs,” Plaschko said.
On the run for a while
Ruff Start Rescue experts believe the puppies were dumped given their limited experience with human interaction.
“The pair was likely on the run for a while and, once rescued, were covered in burs and caked in mud,” the rescue said, adding they have been cleaned up since and are “already eating out of their foster’s hands and letting her touch them, great signs they will warm up fully and behave like typical puppies in just a couple weeks.”
Puppies named Cleo and Delta
The two pups, both females, have been named Cleopatra (Cleo) and Delta. Cleo was named for her epic eyeliner marking, said Plaschko, while Delta, who is the larger of the two, has been named for her calm and steady demeanor.
“Cleo is the wild child and Delta is far more chill,” Plaschko said.
Cleopatra and Delta at their foster home. Cleo has been named for her epic eye liner marking, while Delta, who is the larger of the two, has been named for her calm and steady demeanor.
Adoption applications for both puppies will open later this week, Ruff Start Rescue said. While the two are currently decompressing together, they are not expected to be adopted together, Plaschko said, explaining “separating puppies, especially littermates, is crucial for their individual development and long-term well-being.”
“While it may seem heartwarming to keep littermates together, raising them without structured independence can lead to littermate syndrome, a condition where puppies become overly reliant on each other,” Plaschko said.
This can cause a range of serious behavioral issues such as aggression towards each other, fear-based aggression, lack of individual confidence, training difficulties or severe separation anxiety, Plaschko said.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Video shows German shepherd puppies rescued from Minnesota cold
