‘Please help us.’ Puppies found with ominous note were near death, PA shelter says
Two puppies are on the mend after being brought into a Lancaster shelter in dire condition.
Named Mash and Potato, the two puppies were brought into the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with a virus that has almost a 100 percent mortality rate if left untreated, the shelter said in a Nov. 29 Facebook post.
“Found in a box with a note that read ‘please help us,’ Mash and Potato were abandoned, left to fight for their lives,” the shelter said. “When a woman brought them to the Pennsylvania SPCA Lancaster Center, she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, say where she found them.”
“The circumstances of their arrival were heartbreaking, but there was more. Sadly, these precious puppies tested positive for the deadly parvovirus.”
Commonly referred to as parvo, the virus is extremely contagious and attacks the white blood cells and the gastrointestinal tract. It can also damage the heart when caught by puppies, the American Veterinary Medical Association says.
“All dogs are susceptible to canine parvovirus, although some dogs are at greater risk than others. These include puppies between 6 and 20 weeks of age, unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated dogs, and certain breeds,” the association says.
Mash and Potato appear to be a bull terrier mix, which is one of the breeds susceptible to the virus.
The story does have a happy ending, though.
“Thanks to the incredible veterinary team at the PSPCA, Mash & Potato are receiving the treatment they desperately need,” the shelter said. “And they are out of the woods. We are confident they will make a full recovery.”
The shelter will continue to provide updates on the puppies, including when they’ll be available for adoption.
For information on adoptable pets, visit the shelter’s website.
Lancaster is about an 80-mile drive west from Philadelphia.
This story was originally published November 29, 2024 at 9:30 AM with the headline "‘Please help us.’ Puppies found with ominous note were near death, PA shelter says."