3-pound puppy left in trash is rescued, now thriving

Washington Post

19-06-2025

In late May, a husky puppy arrived at a shelter in Austin weighing just three pounds, about half the weight she should have been. She was fished out of the bottom of a trash can — whimpering, cold and barely clinging to life.
'The animal welfare space sees these stories constantly,' said Elizabeth Ferrer, marketing and communications program manager of Austin Animal Center.
Staff reached out to Austin Pets Alive, a local animal rescue that has specialized veterinary care.
When the puppy arrived at the rescue on May 26, her blood sugar was too low to read, and she was too weak to pick her head up or eat.
'She was in real critical condition, not doing great at all,' said Jordana Moerbe, the medical director at Austin Pets Alive. 'She looked pretty sad; her gums were white and pale.'
Staff placed an IV catheter in her leg to hydrate her and raise her blood glucose levels. They also started her on antibiotics.
'We have a really good understanding of what these pups need,' said Moerbe, who estimated the puppy was about 4 weeks old, based on the size of her teeth.
Moerbe said some shelters may put dogs down who come to them in this condition, because the animals need a high level of care, or because they assume it's too late.
'People don't always understand how to care for young puppies, especially when they're so small,' she said. 'With quick critical care and some time, they bounce back really well.'
That was true for this puppy, who stabilized within just two days. Staff named her Kiss — 'because everyone wanted to give her a big kiss,' Moerbe said.
Moerbe said many puppies arrive at Austin Pets Alive with similar stories.
'It is something that we see often,' she said. 'It's just so sad.'
While it's unclear how Kiss ended up in a trash can, Moerbe believes it's possible the person who put her there thought she had already died, as a puppy that ill is barely responsive.
'You want to think the best in people,' she said. 'I could see somebody with good intentions doing that, but, thankfully, she was pulled out.'
Just a few weeks after being rescued, Kiss is thriving at her new home.
Angee Cornick, who lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, had been searching for a rescue dog to adopt when she came across a Facebook post about Kiss.
'I read the post, and I was like, 'This is the one; she needs us,'' Cornick said.
Cornick was one of many people online moved by Kiss's story.
'How can someone do something like that to something so precious and defenseless?' she said. 'It just tugged at my heartstrings, and I nagged my husband until he acquiesced.'
On June 13, Cornick brought Kiss — whom she renamed Stevie — home.
'She's a sweetheart,' said Cornick, adding that Stevie now weighs nearly six pounds. 'She's still really tiny.'
Stevie joined Pepper, Cornick's 6-year-old rescue, a black lab and Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. The dogs are adjusting to each other.
'Pepper is a little trepidatious, but every day, she's getting more accepting,' Cornick said.
In only a few days, Stevie began showing her personality.
'She knows what she wants, because she has already started barking,' Cornick said. 'She has already learned to use the doggy door.'
Stevie also has a favorite activity: 'She loves to chew on our toes,' Cornick said.
Cornick said she is easing Stevie into home life, but she has big plans for her.
'This little girl is going to get so much love and attention and care, and all of the experiences that she deserves,' she said.