“When it cooled, they were unable to move” 😰
From Tar to Triumph: The Inspiring Rescue of Three Puppies in India
The dedicated team at Animal Aid Unlimited, India (AAUI) is no stranger to emergency rescues. But in May 2023, they received a distress call that shook even their seasoned hearts.
“Three puppies fell into warm roadwork tar, and when it cooled, they were unable to move,” AAUI shared on YouTube. “Without rescue, they would have died of thirst, unable to wriggle free, no matter how hard they tried.”
Volunteers raced to the scene and discovered a heartbreaking sight: three tiny puppies, completely coated in thick, hardened asphalt. Carefully, they lifted each fragile pup out of the tar pit and rushed them back to the AAUI rescue center.
The situation was urgent. As the tar cooled, it formed a suffocating shell around the puppies, and water alone wouldn’t help. But the AAUI team had faced this nightmare before — and knew exactly what to do.
“We’ve had tar babies before,” they explained. “So as soon as they arrived, we got right to work.”
Using cooking oil, the team gently massaged the pups’ matted fur, breaking up hardened clumps of tar. It was painstaking work, requiring hours of careful scrubbing. The rescuers paused only to syringe-feed the exhausted pups, keeping their strength up through the ordeal.
“After three hours, we began to see clean fur, but they were getting so tired,” AAUI said.
The pups were given a chance to rest overnight, and the oil baths continued the next day — and the next. By Day Three, their soft fur finally re-emerged, and their playful spirits returned.
Once free from the tar, the puppies — lovingly named Bingo, Checkers, and Parcheesi — began to bounce back quickly. With full bellies, healed skin, and wagging tails, the trio couldn’t stop playing. Their transformation was nothing short of remarkable.
In time, all three puppies found loving forever homes, where they now live the joyful lives they nearly lost.
Though the AAUI team misses their playful energy at the rescue center, they are overjoyed knowing they helped turn tragedy into triumph.
“Thank you for giving us the means to have enough help to save lives and make hundreds of smiles,” they wrote.