Litter of 8 Husky Puppies Saved From Euthanasia Just Days Before Christmas

Husky puppies dumped on a California shelter's doorstep have been saved from being euthanized just days before Christmas.

The eight 3-week-old puppies were abandoned in a cupboard, without their mother, outside the shelter in Redding, northern California.

But the shelter was already over capacity with more than 380 dogs, meaning the bundle was at risk of being euthanized, and employees at Street Dog Hero (SDH), an animal rescue organization in Bend, Oregon, went to pick up the puppies.

"So the Street Dog Hero team drove down to Redding, California this past Sunday to meet with the rescue partner and picked up all 8 husky puppies," SDH said in a statement sent to Newsweek.

"They then drove them back to Bend where they are now safe and are waiting in foster homes until they are old enough to be adopted into forever homes."

People who are interested in adopting the puppies once they are available can visit the website streetdoghero.org where an application can be filled out.

Each year 6.3 million pets enter 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.

SDH claimed "California shelters are in crisis right now" with too many dogs in the system and not enough space to house them.

According to Shelter Animals Count, a national database that tracks outcomes at animal shelters in the U.S., 14,372 animals were euthanized in California so far this year. This was higher than the 9,405 that had taken place last year.

This lack of facilities to hold dogs led SDH to state it had taken in more than 120 rescue dogs from California shelters so far this year.

"Right now, we're committed to trying to help solve the overpopulation problem here in the U.S. and abroad," said Street Dog Hero Executive Director Kristen Elrod.

"It starts at the source by offering low-cost spay/neuter services and helping offload as many dogs as we can from high-risk shelters across the country that are maxed out on space and have nowhere for these dogs to go."

Newsweek has contacted Street Dog Hero for comment via email.