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November 22, 2023

VIDEO: Rescuers Crawl Into Narrow Culvert To Save Puppies Just Before Storm Hits

Morgan Howard

Several rescuers came to the aid of a mama dog and her six puppies in Jackson just before the storms hit on Monday.

Rescuer Catherine Gunnell remembers that a year ago, she helped several puppies who were stuck in this same exact flooded culvert and barely made it out alive, with one dying inside.

She said that the same scenario was about to play out as the clouds darkened and the storms were moving into Jackson.

Gunnell, along with Chrissy Cheshire (founder of Cheshire Abbey), Anne Mini, Shea Ford, June Luckett and her granddaughter Morgan Luckett all rushed to see what they could do to save the puppies from this death trap.

First Cheshire wiggled into the culvert and managed to get one of the six-week puppies out. The other puppies moved just out of her reach so she came back out to let someone else give it a shot.

Shea tried to crawl in next, but the remaining six puppies moved way to the back of the culvert and around a corner.

Chrissy and Shea decided to go look for the momma dog. They spotted her and attempted to lure her to them, but she ran off and they weren’t able to catch her.

Gunnell said she stuck her head into the culvert and made whiney puppy noises which made the puppies move a little closer to the entrance. Cheshire then crawled back into the culvert and managed to grab four more.

The remaining two puppies retreated way back into the corner.

Morgan was going to give it a shot next! She crawled right into the culvert, without hesitation, and went to the very back, successfully saving the last two babies!

Gunnell said,

“It was a thing of beauty! It was a victory! The pups will not die…I could not have done it. They are brave women warriors!”

The rescuers were ecstatic that they managed to get them all just in the nick of time. Rain would soon fill up the culvert, drowning the puppies if they were left inside. The storms rolled in soon after.

Gunnell said they made plans to come back and save the mama dog and reunite her with her babies. They would never dream of leaving her behind.

“She will not be left behind to have more litters in that culvert.”

The next day, the rescuers returned and were able to get the mama dog from inside an abandoned building.

They reunited her with her babies. She was so happy!

She had a terrible injury to her leg that is being treated at the vet.

Cheshire Abbey, a local 501 c3 rescue, is taking care of the dogs. If you can foster, pay towards vet bills, buy dog food, or do anything to help, it would be greatly appreciated! These local rescues do so much for the community and relentlessly save the animals that get discarded every day in the state.

If you want to donate to the care of these babies, CLICK HERE!

You can also donate to Canton Road Veterinary Hospital at 601-956-6144 or Florence Animal Clinic 601-845-3610. Just call and say you want to pay money towards the Cheshire Abbey bill.

The mama dog and her babies are all receiving medical care and then will later be available for adoption.