When animal welfare officers in Richmond, Virginia received a call reporting a dog stuffed inside a mailbox, their first reaction was disbelief. It had to be a joke. It wasn’t.
A Call Nobody Expected to Be Real
“We thought the call was a joke,” said Christie Peters, director of Richmond Animal Care & Control (ACC). “It couldn’t be possible.”
But when rescuers arrived at the neighborhood, they found exactly what had been reported — a tiny one-year-old Yorkshire terrier mix, zipped inside a soft-sided pet carrier and crammed into a residential mailbox.
Peters described the team’s reaction as “disbelief and anger at such a ridiculously inhumane act.”
The Homeowners Had No Idea
Officers knocked on the door of the home whose mailbox had been used, hoping for answers. The residents were just as shocked as the rescuers.
“They were unaware of the dog in their mailbox and were very helpful and kind,” Peters said.
Frightened but Unharmed
Despite everything she had been through, the little dog appeared physically unharmed. Once freed from the carrier, she seemed to exhale — visibly relieved to be safe.
Her fur was severely matted, but the team at Richmond ACC cleaned her up and got her comfortable. It didn’t take long for her real personality to shine through.
“She was sweet and snuggly,” Peters said.
Meet Mail Order Bride
One of the officers who rescued her, Chloe Houston, gave her a name that perfectly fit the circumstances: Mail Order Bride.
The team at Richmond ACC is now working to piece together how she ended up in that mailbox — and who left her there.
A Dog Deserving of a Real Forever Home
In the meantime, Mail Order Bride is surrounded by people who adore her.
“Her days are filled with lots of love from our staff,” Peters said.
Once she’s ready, Mail Order Bride will be available for adoption through Richmond Animal Care & Control — finally getting the loving home she has always deserved.
“We are so grateful someone called us to help,” Peters added. “Our team is here to help all the unwanted abandoned animals in Richmond. We’re grateful to be able to help this one.”