A smart mother dog ran up to a stranger on a road behind the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Center, and her instincts were rewarded. The stranger was an animal rescue worker who followed the friendly dog without knowing what they were about to see.
Around 10:30 am on March 7th, Mitzi Brogdon, the director of Street Dog Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Moore, Oklahoma, had just found two abandoned puppies. On her way home, she saw a hunting dog named Dolly standing alone in a gravel parking lot by the road. She pulled over, and Dolly immediately ran towards her.
Brogdon, 49 years old, told The Epoch Times: “I petted her head and she started walking down the gravel road towards a radio tower, looking back at me every few steps. I followed her and when I got to the end of the road, all the puppies started jumping out from behind a large fallen log.”
Brogdon was shocked to find a total of 16 abandoned puppies behind the fallen log. Her shock turned to anger as she thought about the owner who had abandoned them.
Brogdon revealed, “When I found them, they were very hungry. Some of the puppies looked like they had parasites in their stomachs, but it seemed like they hadn’t been abandoned for long. Dolly let me take them away. Wherever I go, the puppies follow me. I’m like the Pied Piper.”
Some of the puppies were around 6 weeks old, some were 8 weeks old, and two were only about 4 months old. Dolly appeared to be around 18 months old. The smaller puppies easily kept up, while the two largest had to be leashed, but it only took 10 minutes to complete the task.
405 Animal Rescue to take two puppies each, Fuzzy Friends Rescue to take five, and Safe Haven Animal Rescue to take four.”
Brogdon took three puppies and Dolly back to the Street Dog Rescue and Recovery Center and shared a photo on Facebook, writing, “I thought Oklahoma would do better, but the truth is, they’re not. They’re not just dogs and cats. How we treat them says it all.”
Brogdon, who was born and raised in Moore, is acutely aware of the difficult circumstances in her state and says that abandoning animals for others to find creates a burden on rescuers and shelters.
Brogdon told The Epoch Times, “In cases where we don’t have the funding and resources to care for them, we have to let these dogs die on the streets or in a shelter. We need to find a good corporate sponsor and some grant opportunities, or else we won’t be able to sustain a shelter with so many animals.”
Dolly has been spayed and fully vaccinated after being rescued. She tested negative for heartworm but positive for ehrlichia, which is caused by ticks and requires antibiotics. Brogdon described Dolly as a “perfect dog,” affectionate, house-trained, and good with other pets and children.
Thanks to the great efforts of many rescue centers, these 16 adorable puppies are now ready for adoption after being spayed/neutered and receiving their second round of vaccinations.
Brogdon officially opened the Street Dog Rescue and Recovery Center in January 2020 after rescuing a dog named Darcy, which made headlines at the time. With the help of Shea Otley, now the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Street Dog Rescue and Recovery Center, Brogdon upgraded her independent rescue operation into a 501(c)3 organization and expanded her mission.
Brogdon said, “Our mission is to save and recover all lost, forgotten, and unwanted dogs. The message I want to convey is first, spay and neuter your pets; second, keep your promise to your pet, they are your lifelong commitment.”
