A video of a litter of feral puppies discovered by an animal-shelter staff member has gone viral on TikTok.
The clip was posted a week ago by Officer Alcorn (@acoalcorn), who is an animal control officer at Fresno Humane Animal Services in California, according to her TikTok profile. The video has more than 458,000 views and over 100,000 likes.
The footage shows the camera approaching a group of black-haired feral puppies hiding in a bush. A caption shared with the post simply reads: “Another day, another feral litter.”
What to Do When You Find a Stray Dog?
Look for a Dog Collar or a Tag
“Remember the dog may not be a stray at all, but a dog that has wandered away from their owner,” advised the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the U.K.-based animal-welfare charity. So, it’s important to check for any form of identification on the dog before assuming it is a stray or a feral animal.
Get the Dog Scanned for a Microchip
If you don’t see a collar or tag, take the pup to a local veterinary office or a retail pet store to be scanned for a microchip, says the Animal Humane Society based in Minnesota.
Report the Dog to Local Authorities and Rescue Centers
Notify local animal groups on social media and post fliers around your neighborhood to let the community know about the dog in case anyone is in search of it.
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Each year, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet ‘Shelter Watch Report’ found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
One of the puppies in the latest viral TikTok video is seen standing out from the bush, staring back at the camera from a distance. A voice in the clip is heard saying, “Come on,” as a hand is seen tapping the sand near the bush, beckoning the pup to come forward.
A few other puppies are seen standing behind the curious little one before they retreat back into the bush, as the camera gets closer to the litter.
A hand is later seen gently tapping the ground a bit closer inside the bush, and the puppies remain hesitant to approach the hand.
One of the puppies is later seen hiding between two panels, as a voice in the clip asks: “What ya’ doing?” A woman is later seen holding one of the pups in one hand, as a voice says, “Good boy,” before the clip ends.
‘They Want to Be Loved So Bad’
Several TikTok users swooned over the adorable feral puppies in the latest clip.
Marlene Spino posted: “they are so precious and they want to come to you. who drops off babies like this? thank you for saving them.”
Willow wrote: “They want to be loved so bad, their natural instinct is excitement when people give them attention. So pure.”
Psjunkie35 commented: “Aww there lil tails wagging is so adorable.”
SweetSiggy wrote, “I want all of them!” and Dangerrunner posted: “Omg [oh my god]. I’ll take them all.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
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