Puppies found in freezing cold under abandoned house are rescued by good Samaritans

Kansas City shelter officials say the rescue, which was shared on TikTok, was 'physically taxing'

Good Samaritans recently spent four hours rescuing a litter of puppies that were stuck under an abandoned house in Missouri.

Kansas City Protective Animal Welfare Society (KC PAWS) Director Michelle Lascon told Fox News Digital that the shelter rescued the group of six puppies in January. 

The breed of the pups is unknown, but the shelter believes they may be part German shepherd, Akita or husky.

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A local woman had contacted the shelter after she noticed a group of dogs living under an abandoned house. She was concerned about the cold weather, and the shelter immediately responded, according to KC PAWS.

Split image of snow outside house with puppy

Animal rescuers crouched under the snow-covered house's opening to rescue the pups. (@kcpaws via TikTok)

When rescuers arrived, no mother was in sight. 

Lascon said the mission was brutally challenging since the puppies were scared and kept running away.

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"It was extremely difficult for us to move around in the small space, [but] the puppies were able to move around freely," Lascon said.

Volunteers at KC PAWS said that though it was "physically taxing," they were glad that the pups were brought to safety.

@kcpaws Todays #rescuestory was one of our craziest yet. We spent 4 hours in a frozen crawl space to save 6 #puppies who were under an abandoned house during a deadly cold snap. We need help with these kids vetting! Please donate at kcpaws.org! #sharethis #dogsofttiktok #dogrescue #puppytiktok #followandlike #summer #donate #nonprofit #community #animalrescue ♬ Instrumen Sholawat Sedih - Yuda pratama 

The shelter posted footage of the rescue on TikTok. After being rescued, the pups were brought back to the shelter to be fed and cleaned.

Two days later, animal rescuers found the mother of the litter.

Split image of woman under house and woman holding dog

The mission took four hours, and rescuers say it was "physically taxing" to crawl under the house. (@kcpaws via TikTok)

"She was finally spotted [and] within 24 hours, we had her!" KC PAWS officials said in the TikTok video.

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"Once caught, she was so sweet and happy to be saved and warm!"

Lascon told Fox News Digital that the puppies are "doing fantastic" and will be ready to be adopted by the end of the week.

Split image of puppies

Good Samaritans in Kansas City, Missouri, spent hours rescuing a litter of puppies that were stuck under an abandoned house in frigid temperatures. The rescue was captured on video. The puppies were brought back to the Kansas City, Missouri, animal shelter (KC PAWS) where they were cleaned and fed. (Protective Animal Welfare Society via Facebook)

"They are all scheduled for spays and neuters this week and then will be ready for their forever homes," Lascon said. "As well as the mom."

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Officials with KC PAWS said that the issue of stray dogs struggling in freezing weather is not new.

@kcpaws Momma has been found! Thank you to everyone who is following their journey! Momma has heartworms and will need treatment, if youd like to donate please visit kcpaws.org! #rescuestory #sharethis #puppies #dogsofttiktok #dogrescue #reunited #followandlike #donate #nonprofit #notyouraverageshelter #animalrescue #storytime ♬ Here With Me - d4vd 

"Unfortunately, we see stray dogs trying to survive outside on their own a lot, due to the massive overpopulation of pets in our country and the lack of responsible homes available for them," Lascon explained.

Split image of smiling mama dog

Days after the rescue, the animal shelter found the litter's mother and managed to reunite them. (Protective Animal Welfare Society via Facebook)

"We are just glad we were able to get this family to safety before it got even colder outside," she added.

If you are interested in adopting the puppies or their mother, you can visit kcpaws.org for more information.

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Andrea Vacchiano is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can follow her on X at @andrea_vacch or send story tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Authored by Andrea Vacchiano via FoxNews February 7th 2024