“They are just a week old …”
While most people in St. Louis, Missouri, stayed indoors to avoid last week’s harsh winter weather, two rescuers from Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) were out trekking through the snow, searching for a missing dog.
“Neighbors told us they’d been caring for a pregnant stray, but she vanished last week,” SRSL shared on Facebook.
The disappearance alone was troubling, but the freezing temperatures, ice and heavy snowfall made the situation even more urgent.
“St. Louis has been hit with snow, sleet and dangerously low temperatures,” SRSL wrote. “We figured she must’ve given birth in one of the abandoned houses nearby and started searching right away.”
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
Led by seasoned rescuer Donna Lochmann, the team entered the first empty home on the block. They hoped they’d spot the dog quickly — and to their relief, they did. Two shining eyes peeked out from beneath an old piece of furniture.
“She was in the very first house we checked!” SRSL announced.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
As they stepped closer, the dog let out a low growl — not from aggression, but from fierce motherly protection. She had delivered five tiny puppies and was guarding them with everything she had.
“She was such a devoted mom,” the team said. “She loves people but wasn’t sure why we were there.”
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
Lochmann spoke softly to the nervous mom, later named Jackie Frost, and slowly slipped a lead around her neck. Jackie trusted her just enough to follow her rescuers out of the house.
With Jackie safely in the vehicle, Lochmann returned inside and gently gathered all five newborn pups. Each one was incredibly delicate, only about a week old.
“She must have had them right before Thanksgiving,” SRSL noted.
After loading the whole family into the car, Lochmann drove them straight to SRSL’s shelter. There, Jackie and her puppies got their own quiet kennel filled with warmth, soft blankets and safety — things they’d desperately needed.
“They’re finally safe,” SRSL wrote. “Mama just wants to show off her babies and give us hugs.”
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
That night, Jackie Frost and her puppies slept soundly for the first time in a cozy room. But they still needed a foster home.
Thankfully, SRSL supporter Randy Morgan stepped forward right away and welcomed the little family into his home. Jackie seemed incredibly relieved.
“Look how thankful Jackie Frost is to be safe with her babies!” SRSL wrote.
Not long after rescuing Jackie, Lochmann returned to the same neighborhood and found the pups’ father. He, too, went off to a warm foster home.
What began as a search for one missing dog ended in seven dogs being saved. Now, Jackie Frost and her babies are thriving, and SRSL is excited for the day each one finds a forever home.
Until then, the team is cherishing every update they receive of the sweet mom and her growing puppies.
“She truly is an angel,” SRSL wrote.