Two puppies found with their jaws wired shut in a Queens dumpster are now healthy and available for adoption in Manhattan.
Poppy and Petunia, both four months old, were discovered abandoned in Flushing on July 12 and rushed to an emergency veterinary center, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The frightened furballs were severely underweight with painful gashes on their jaws and unable to open their mouths due to the injuries. They were then transferred to an ASPCA Animal Recovery Center in Manhattan, where they received wound treatment and antibiotics.
“These victimized puppies were found in horrendous conditions — heartlessly abused and discarded with no chance of survival if not for the Good Samaritan who intervened and reported this alleged cruelty to the police,” said David Little, senior law enforcement liaison for the ASPCA.
The pair of pups are both now up for adoption and “looking for new, loving homes,” according to the ASPCA. A profile of Poppy on the agency’s adoption site calls her “a sweetheart” who “has never met a stranger” and greets “everyone with a wagging tail and a happy heart.”
Petunia is “a bundle of joy with a playful spirit and enough energy to brighten every room she enters!,” according to the site.
Both of the pups also have mismatched eyes — one blue and one brown. Their breeds weren’t immediately clear.
“The ASPCA is grateful we could provide these puppies with the critical medical care they so badly needed to heal, and we strongly urge anyone with information about this case to contact 311 immediately so we can help bring their abusers to justice,” Little said.
In the viral moment that sparked widespread outrage, the two puppies were found dumped like trash with their muzzles cruelly wired together, leaving them unable to eat, drink, or make a sound. The Good Samaritan who discovered them contacted police, triggering the rescue that saved their lives. The method of abuse suggested deliberate torture rather than simple abandonment, drawing attention to the case from animal welfare advocates across the city.
The NYPD is investigating the case and has asked anyone with information to call 311 or contact the ASPCA directly.