Woman Saves 16 Puppies Abandoned in Parking Lot

When a woman spotted abandoned puppies darting across a Livermore parking lot last Wednesday, she knew she had to act fast.

The good Samaritan found 17 nine-week-old puppies scattered across the lot. Tragically, one puppy was struck by a car before she could rescue it, but she managed to save the other 16 and immediately called the East Bay SPCA.

"We've got to start clearing kennels, we've got to start making 16 bowls of food," said Lisa Hammock, shelter manager at the Oakland campus. The team hustled to prepare space at both their Oakland and Dublin locations.

When the puppies arrived Wednesday evening, they were nervous, dirty, and desperately hungry. Staff members cleaned them up, fed them, and settled them into kennels with their littermates.

By Thursday, the team had created a larger space where all the puppies could stay together. "They will just all pile up and have this adorable cuddle puddle," Hammock said. "Just heads and feet and tails with little tiny puppy snores."

The shelter believes all 16 puppies come from the same mother based on their similar appearance, weight, and development. It's the largest single litter the East Bay SPCA has received in recent memory.

The puppies arrived with swollen bellies, a common sign of worms in young dogs. Otherwise, they're in good health and already receiving vaccines and treatment.

Staff gave them playful temporary names like Hijinks and Antics. While some puppies are already bright and friendly, others are still shy and need extra socialization before they're ready for adoption.

Sunny's Take

These little troublemakers went from a dangerous parking lot to warm beds and full bellies in a matter of hours, all because one person chose to stop and help. The SPCA teams worked overtime to make room for 16 unexpected arrivals, proving that sometimes the best moments come from the unplanned challenges.

The puppies will be available for adoption next week at the Oakland and Dublin locations, ready to find their forever families.