“I was in shock” 😰
A few months ago, Dellymar Bernal was driving down a rural road in Lajas, Puerto Rico, on her way to a doctor’s appointment, when a shocking discovery led to a sudden change of plans.
It all started when Bernal stopped at an intersection and casually looked out her window, only to find herself face-to-face with a litter of 10 abandoned puppies.
Bernal was stunned. As executive director of Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís (SASFAPR), she was used to saving stray dogs. So much so, that the shelter was filled at the time of the discovery.
Bernal wasn’t prepared to rescue 10 puppies that day, and there was hardly any room at the shelter to receive them if she had been. But she refused to drive off without them.
“I couldn’t leave them there,” Bernal told The Dodo.
Without skipping a beat, Bernal parked her car and approached the dogs. One of the pups, a tan girl later named Luna, barked at Bernal as if pleading for help, while her siblings stumbled over the buckets of food left with them.
“The dog who was barking and wagging her tail, honestly, she stole my heart with her pure face. When I saw them, I was in shock,” Bernal said. “I opened the door and they all came to greet me. They were all wagging their tails, happy to see me …”
The puppies’ friendly dispositions confirmed Bernal’s worst fears: They once had a family who abandoned them.
“At some point, they had a home. I know they were abandoned because it’s a really isolated area,” Bernal said. “When we posted about them, the neighbors commented that they had been abandoned and had spent a few days there.”
You can watch Bernal rescue the puppies here:
Bernal picked up the puppies one at a time and carried each to her car. She drove to SASFAPR and dropped off nine babies, then shuttled the last pup, Lirio, to the vet for an evaluation. Lirio appeared to be injured, and medical exams soon confirmed multiple fractures in one of her back paws.
Thankfully, Lirio had a skilled veterinary team dedicated to helping her heal. While they treated Lirio, the other puppies, Lorenzo, Luna, Lisa, Luisa Lilypads, Lance and Liliard, continued to thrive at SASFAPR.
Before long, the puppies began receiving adoption applications, and many went off to new homes. Luna, the little barker, moved to Boston, and her sister Lisa landed in New York.
Only two of the puppies remain at SASFAPR: Lirio, whose paw is still being monitored, and Lorenzo, who is awaiting eye surgery. Once they’re feeling better, Bernal will help them find amazing families just like their siblings.
Bernal wasn’t planning on rescuing an entire family that one fateful day, but thanks to her attentiveness and compassion, these 10 pups now have beautiful lives ahead of them.
To help animals like Luna and her siblings get the care they need, you can donate to Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís here.
