A Winnipeg animal rescue organization is warning of the dangers of the cold after a woman came home to a young puppy abandoned in a box on her step.
Madi Jopling said she came home at around 7 p.m. Monday after being out for a few hours running errands.
“There was a box on my front step and a bag of food beside it,” said Jopling, explaining that she thought someone had dropped off a donation for the rescue organization she fosters animals for.
“I went to pick up the box and I heard something moving in it,” she said. “I opened the box and there was a puppy with a little jacket on.”
The dog, Oliver, is believed to be a husky cross that is around one month old.
Jopling said people in her neighbourhood are aware that her family fosters dogs, and that may have played a role in the decision to drop it at their home.
“At points, we have four dogs at the home, either ours or other fosters,” she said. “I assume that the person, it went through their head that the best chance for the puppy was us.”
Jopling is emphatic that better options existed and leaving the pup on their steps put its life at risk.
“It was very cold out that day, for sure,” she said. According to Environment Canada, the temperature Monday ranged between -20 C and -28 C.
Jopling said to ensure the pet is surrendered safely, people who can’t care for an animal should reach out to the Winnipeg Humane Society or another local rescue organization.
“There’s so many small ones that are coming up and big ones that are already there that are such better options than what this puppy went through.”
The rescue Jopling volunteers with, Earthdog Terrier Rescue of Manitoba, said on Facebook that Oliver will remain in its care for a few weeks and applications for adoptions are not being accepted for the time being. It said it will provide updates on him on the group’s Facebook page.
