Puppy was abandoned in cold with ‘nothing but a crate.’ Then his life took a turn
A 4-month old dog was abandoned in the cold with “nothing but a crate” — and now, he has a new home.
“This sweet puppy should not have experienced the heartbreak that he did,” the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) wrote Jan. 17 in a Facebook post.
The animal organization said it was 32 degrees when someone pulled up and dropped Malbec outside its shelter Jan. 14. The pup was left alone on the grass with “nothing but a crate.”
“Despite attempts to engage the individual, they ended up driving away,” the shelter told McClatchy News in an email.
Malbec was brought into the safety of SPCA’s Philadelphia headquarters, which posted a photo as he went up for adoption. Several social media users said they couldn’t get enough of the cuteness, and within two days the pup’s story generated more than 1,000 reactions on Facebook and over 3,000 on Instagram.
Malbec was rescued at a time when frigid temperatures swept across much of the United States. Philadelphia’s lows dipped into the teens and 20s as National Weather Service offices in some areas urged people to keep their pets out of the cold.
While Malbec didn’t have lingering health effects from being outside, the shelter said its “Animal Law Enforcement team is working to discover who the individual is and whether charges can be filed.”
“Malbec was examined by our medical team and was determined to be underweight, flea ridden, and dirty,” the shelter wrote. “Though he was nervous, and who could blame him, he was very sweet and wiggly.”
As of Jan. 18, Malbec is starting his next chapter with a new owner, the shelter said.
This story was originally published January 19, 2024 at 7:06 AM with the headline "Puppy was abandoned in cold with ‘nothing but a crate.’ Then his life took a turn."
