Last month, while investigating reports of trespassing at an empty apartment building in Arkansas, Officer Chace Hunton from the Little Rock Police Department heard faint whines.

Intrigued, he followed the sounds and discovered a litter of small puppies—blond, brindle, and black—left alone without any sign of their mother or people nearby.

“He realized he couldn’t just leave them there, so he gathered them up, placed them in a box, and brought them home,” said Julie Castle, a representative from Best Friends Animal Society, during an interview with YSL News this week.

Upon returning, his wife, Hannah, quickly sprang into action, contacting her friends in Little Rock and mobilizing the community to help.

“It was amazing to see the response; it was as if a coalition to save the puppies had formed in Little Rock,” Castle shared. “Many individuals stepped up, eager to foster and rescue these animals.”

Collaboration within the community

The situation turned into a “community effort,” according to Castle, as everyone came together to assist the puppies, who were just a few days old and weighed less than a pound.

“It’s one of those moments where no one knows how to bottle-feed a puppy until they’re faced with the need to do it,” Castle remarked, noting that the tiny pups had to be fed using eyedroppers at first.

Initially, Hunton contacted a local animal shelter to seek help for the puppies and check if any reports about missing ones had surfaced. However, the shelter was full and couldn’t take them in, prompting the family to step in and foster the pups, who needed frequent feedings to survive.

Hannah then reached out to her sister at Best Friends Animal Society in Bentonville, located about three hours north of Arkansas. Shelton also joined the effort, gathering essential supplies like bottles and food.

Best Friends aims to eliminate the euthanasia of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters, striving for a no-kill status by 2025. They provided guidance to Hannah and the broader community on how to care for the puppies and organized veterinary visits to ensure their health.

Neighbors lend a hand

Laura Jones was studying at home when she received Hannah’s plea for help. “I had never done anything like this before, but Hannah sounded desperate,” Jones recalled. “I volunteered to help wash and feed the puppies, and upon arrival, I realized there was a great deal to be done.”

As Hannah’s message spread, a puppy care network developed in the neighborhood, with more individuals dropping by to assist. Some brought food and supplies for the puppies, while others helped Hannah with feeding and cleaning the pups.

The dedicated care continued round-the-clock at Hannah and Chace’s home for two days and nights, until they decided to simplify things. To allow Hannah some much-needed rest, they split the litter into smaller groups of two and three and sent them to foster homes for continued care until they were healthy enough to be adopted.

“In situations like this, where there are 11 puppies in need, the whole community rallies to help, putting aside their differences,” Castle remarked. “Their focus becomes saving these innocent lives.”

“This is a wonderful example of our best selves as Americans,” she added.

Despite the community’s best efforts, two of the puppies tragically did not survive due to health complications. Best Friends informed YSL News that it’s not uncommon for some of the weaker pups in larger litters to struggle and not make it.

Nine Pups Find Forever Homes

The remaining nine puppies thrived and grew strong. Seven were adopted by families in Little Rock, while two found homes through an organization in Chicago, as reported by Best Friends.

Jones, who took care of two of the puppies, Winston (Winnie) and Gilbert (Gibbie), shared with Best Friends that her seven-week volunteering experience was truly rewarding.

“This entire experience really touched my heart,” she stated. “When I first got them, they weighed less than half a pound. I had to feed them with an eye dropper for several days, and I was very emotional when Gibbie was adopted.”

Jones chose to adopt Winnie, while Gibbie was taken in by two police officers in Little Rock. Winnie has since made a new friend in Jones’ 4-year-old dog, Kallie.

“They get along wonderfully,” Jones noted. “Winnie is quite clever and has quickly learned to sit, shake hands, and even navigate the doggy door.”

Castle expressed her happiness at witnessing the puppies in good health and enjoying their new lives.

“Newborn puppies are incredibly vulnerable,” Castle remarked. “He (Hunton) was in the right situation at the right time and made a significant impact. The right thing to do is undoubtedly to save their lives and give them the chance for adoption into loving homes.”