While out on a routine food delivery in Palm Coast, Florida, a DoorDash delivery driver managed to prevent an absolute tragedy. Glancing towards a half-open garage, he spotted a two-tier metal cage housing several animals struggling to breathe.
On the bottom tier was a two-year-old American Bully mum named Envy, and on the top tier was her entire litter. Seeing that the animals had no water and were panting heavily, the driver immediately called the police.
Suffocating temperatures of 36°C
When Flagler County sheriff's deputies arrived, they found eight puppies, barely four weeks old, piled on top of each other with only a tiny splash of water to share. Below them, the nursing mother did not have a single drop of water left in her bowl.
With outdoor temperatures soaring to 36°C, the suffocating atmosphere inside the closed garage was a direct threat to the lives of these nine animals.
Owner arrested for animal cruelty
When confronted by the officers, the owner's reaction was quite bizarre; he claimed he had actually expected the delivery driver to call the police. After initially trying to block the officers from entering the garage, he was eventually forced to give the mother dog some water before officially surrendering the animals to protective services.
“Eight puppies and their mother were barking for help while baking inside a garage,” said a shocked Sheriff Rick Staly. “Fortunately, this delivery driver did the right thing, and all nine dogs are now safe and cool.”
The owner was immediately arrested and booked for animal cruelty and confinement without sufficient food or water, before being released on bail. The mum and her eight little ones are now in safe hands.