“We don’t know how long they were out there.”
When rescuers with the Luna Foundation learned that six puppies had been abandoned far from civilization, they immediately rushed to the scene — and what they discovered was devastating. Hidden among sharp cacti in Aruba were six tiny, malnourished puppies, left completely on their own. Terrified of people, the pups had clearly been surviving with nothing but each other.
“These babies were dumped in the middle of nowhere,” Zoey Conijn Berkelm of the Luna Foundation told The Dodo. “There was no food, no water — nothing at all. We have no idea how long they’d been out there.”
As the rescuers carefully gathered the puppies, they noticed the only comfort they seemed to find was in staying tightly pressed together. At that point, the pups trusted no one but their siblings, unsure of what was coming next.
After being examined by a veterinarian, the puppies were found to be underweight and suffering from worms and ticks. They needed time, care and patience to recover. While their physical healing could begin right away, the rescuers were especially concerned about how frightened the puppies were and knew they’d need extra love to learn that humans could be kind.
To help them adjust, Berkelm brought the puppies home to foster them herself. Winnie, the only female of the group, turned out to be the bravest. Little by little, she led the way, helping her brothers feel safe enough to approach people.
“She would climb onto your lap first,” Berkelm said. “And while you were petting her, the others would slowly move closer — a little more every day. She gave them confidence. Now they’re playful, happy and absolutely beautiful puppies.”
Winnie was the first to find her forever home, and soon after, each of her brothers was adopted as well. Their story didn’t end there, though — their adoptive families still meet up for puppy playdates so the siblings can continue to see one another.
After everything they endured, all six puppies are now thriving in loving homes. For Berkelm, seeing updates from their new families makes every difficult rescue worthwhile.
“It reminds me that even the saddest situations can lead to something beautiful,” she said. “That’s why we do this.”