Woman Finds 3 Chihuahua Puppies Left on Street, Unprepared for What's Next

Newsweek

4 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A woman who found three abandoned Chihuahuas has praised social media users for coming to her aid and helping to find their forever homes.
In July, Reddit user u/yimmybean was horrified when she discovered the three dogs hiding in a parking garage near her office in Arlington, Texas. She told Newsweek that, although they seemed well-fed, they were "nervous, skittish, and scared." Indeed, the trio looked filthy, and one even had a red, watery eye.
"They all stayed very close to one another and jumped at any noise and ran back to their little pack," the Reddit user said. "We let them hide behind some boxes and stay huddled together, ignoring them and letting them get comfortable."
After finally earning their trust, u/yimmybean, 39, was able to bring the dogs into her office building and let them settle. All her colleagues were equally as concerned about their welfare, so they all rallied around the Chihuahuas.
From left: The three rescue Chihuahuas huddle together inside the office.
From left: The three rescue Chihuahuas huddle together inside the office.
u/yimmybean / Reddit
"Loud noises made them nervous, and they huddled under a chair until we went back to work and let them roam the office. The male was the first to let us touch him, but the girls ran off when we got near them," she continued.
Unfortunately, no one was able to take the dogs home due to having other pets. Seeing as their office space was a converted house, they let them stay there until they found a long-term solution.
The canines could roam the office during the day, and slept outside in a fenced yard overnight. They had water, food, blankets, and fluffy pillows to sleep on.
"They've received endless love, Vienna sausages, and pets from all of us. They got somewhat comfortable and let us hold them, so they also got a lot of face snuggles from us," u/yimmybean said.
During that time, the poster contacted several rescue organizations to see if they could take them. As the days went on, she grew increasingly weary as she wasn't having any luck. That led her to post about the dogs on Reddit on July 16, asking for recommendations for rescues who would take the dogs.
Needless to say, internet users came through. With over 11,000 votes and more than 500 comments on the post, plenty of people offered helpful suggestions and even volunteered to take the dogs themselves.
An organization in Hemphill, Texas, called Barking Mad Animal Rescue also offered to take the dumped dogs. But due to the number of animals who were displaced during the tragic flooding earlier this month, the rescue workers were overwhelmed and wouldn't be able to take the Chihuahuas until several days later. Even with the immense pressure that Barking Mad Animal Rescue was facing, u/yimmybean was so moved by their willingness to help.
"About five minutes after posting on r/Chihuahua, I was flooded with suggestions of places to reach out to. I reached out to about 15 different places and three reached back out within an hour after contacting them asking for more information," u/yimmybean continued.
As it turned out, u/yimmybean didn't have to drive the dogs to any rescue centers because she managed to find loving homes for them instead. The male dog went to a family friend, while the two females were adopted by a Reddit user who commented on the viral post.
After volunteering to take them in, the commenter met with u/yimmybean and said that he has a Chihuahua who seemed lonely and would appreciate some friends. When she met the Reddit user and his son, u/yimmybean felt confident in her decision to rehome the girls, and she has stayed in touch since.
She is delighted that the female Chihuahuas remained together, especially as one of them was "so timid," and having her sister by her side would be a huge confidence booster.
It was a whirlwind few days, and none of it would have been possible without the help of internet users.
The three Chihuahuas lay together on pillows inside the office.
The three Chihuahuas lay together on pillows inside the office.
u/yimmybean / Reddit
"I was so worried about what I was going to do with the dogs if I couldn't find a rescue, and it was weighing heavily on me. I know dog subreddits are tight-knit communities, but I didn't expect hundreds of people to help instantaneously," the poster told Newsweek.
User yimmybean continued: "Over 400 people gave their support to three nameless dogs on the internet. People were offering to foster the dogs, transport them, adopt them, and offering gas money. Barking Mad Animal Rescue said they'd still take the dogs if it didn't work out with the families. I mean, how can you not be moved by that, knowing the stress they're going through?"
Among the 500 comments on Reddit so far, internet users certainly rallied around the Chihuahuas to ensure they found their forever homes.
One comment reads: "This is so sad! I pray these babies find homes."
Another Reddit user wrote: "Hope those 3 beauties find a loving home soon."
A third person replied: "Heartbreaking. I hope you are able to find them great homes. Thanks for caring for them in the meantime."
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