We want to thank the local news stations for picking up Maya's story and sharing it across the country! With over 40+ states covering the story, we think it's safe to say that Maya and her puppies have gone viral!
We are so grateful to have this platform to help stop animal cruelty, and are excited to keep championing that cause!
Here is the story:
WIMAUMA, Fla. (WFTS) - A mother and two of her puppies are recovering after being dumped on the side of a Florida road.
Rescuers found a 3-year-old dog frantically searching for her puppies on a dark road in Wimauma on Feb. 8. They found and rescued two of her puppies and used them to get her to safety. Four other puppies did not make it.
Rescuers say all the dogs had injuries consistent with being thrown from a moving vehicle.
“There is not one single excuse that you can come up with in this planet to dump your dog and leave something that loves you,” said April McNeely, the owner of McNeely Family Rescue and Sanctuary, where the mom and her surviving puppies are being cared for.
Rescuers named the mother Maya and her puppies Valentino and Scarlett.
McNeely says Maya was found malnourished, and X-rays showed scarring from previous injuries. She will also need surgery on her hip. Both puppies suffered soft tissue damage, and Valentino has mobility issues and falls over when he walks.
“Valentino was barely moving when we found him. They both were having moving problems, and they were both hypothermic. It was a very cold night,” McNeely said.
She hopes to find the dogs a permanent home but wants potential owners to know it comes with a financial responsibility.
The dogs were discovered on Valroy Road, which McNeely says is a street infamous for dumping dogs since there are no cameras.
“This is animal cruelty. This is a punishable criminal act,” McNeely said. “Somebody out there has to know who Maya is and where she came from – somebody, a neighbor, a friend, an acquaintance, somebody that worked with them, somebody that passed by their house every day.”
A reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. Contact the animal rescue here.