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NATCHEZ — HoofBeats and PawPrints Rescue has asked for help with donations to support two litters of puppies abandoned at three weeks old last month during extremely cold weather, as well as a number of other animals in their care.

A total of 20 puppies, too young to be adopted or separated from their mothers, were rescued by HPR over a two-week period in January, the oldest of which is now around 6 weeks old and still too young to be adopted.

Kathy Fitch at HPR said the first litter arrived at three weeks old after they had been born under a building and their mother wouldn’t nurse them.

Jay Fitch at HPR said the second litter arrived at HPR two weeks later on Jan. 19. The pups were brought in by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office after they had been abandoned in a children’s playpen on the side of Highway 84 near Firetower Road in Franklin County.

There were 13 puppies in that litter, though one of them, nicknamed Lucky, suffered from health issues in the extreme cold and did not survive.

He was at first unnoticed by the deputies and by HPR rescuers, lost under the mat of the playpen and suffering from severe frostbite and parasites.

Those who know of where the puppies came from are urged to contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office or HPR.

“We’ve been working around the clock to save these babies,” Jay said at the time. “They are only about three weeks old and were hypothermic on arrival, and now are still very weak with severe intestinal parasites and fleas.”

Donations of puppy pee pads and puppy food have helped, though the need continues.

“We get no money from any county or any parish and we’re tasked with taking in the majority of animals that need care,” said Kathy. “We’re operating at a deficit and are going to be fundraising more this year for operational funds.”

It takes an average of  $300 per animal to properly care for and give necessary vaccinations and spay-neuter surgeries. With a large litter of puppies, that cost can easily reach over $3,000, Kathy said. HPR currently has over 65 puppies too young to be adopted out as well as adult mama dogs now in its care, which is low compared to the average census of around 200 animals.

That number is expected to double in the next week as HPR begins its intake period.

“We just had 60 dogs and 25 cats transported out last week and are just starting our intake process,” she said. “We’ve been getting calls practically every day asking us to take new litters of puppies. We take in as many as we can.”

Those interested in adopting an animal or donating to HPR can call 601-303-0672 or visit hoofbeatsandpawprintsrescue.org for more information.

One thing that Kathy emphasized the importance of, whether someone is considering adoption or is looking to have a puppy or kitten adopted, “Please do not give away puppies without talking to the people you’re giving them to about spaying and neutering them,” she said. “If someone has got a litter that they’re trying to place, they need to get a discussion going and some provision to spay-neuter the dog or kitten before giving them away. We are trying to break the cycle. … When we adopt out, we account for the spay-neuter expense in the adoption fee if there is one. People locally can reach out to Spay Neuter Natchez to get some help if needed.

They work with two vet clinics in Natchez and offer extremely discounted spay-neuter prices or the copay is waived. That is available to anyone.”

Jay thanked all those who’ve supplied donations to help with the litters of young pups.

“We truly appreciate all of the recent donations of potty pads and puppy food,” Fitch said. “Many thanks to everyone who donated products to help us care for the little ones — every single item will be used.”

An Amazon wishlist has items to assist HPR not only with the care of these puppies but also kittens, cats and other dogs rescued and cared for by HPR daily.

Find the list here: hoofbeatsandpawprintsrescue.org/things-we-need

In 2024, HPR helped rescue more than 1,500 animals. Local shelters rely on their transportation services to take animals to areas where they have a greater chance of being adopted. For more information, email info.hprescue@gmail.com or call HPR at 601-303-0672