Arkansas Neighborhood Works Together to Help Litter of Orphaned Puppies in Desperate Need of Love

Community members in Little Rock teamed up to help care for the pups and find them loving homes after they were discovered in an abandoned apartment

A group of orphaned puppies have found their forever homes thanks to the kindness of their local community.

Residents in Little Rock, Arkansas, came together to save the pups after a police officer discovered 11 newborn puppies — with their mom nowhere in sight — in an abandoned apartment building while investigating reports of possible trespassing.

"I just couldn't leave them (in the abandoned building)," Officer Chace Hunton said, per the Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization. "So I found a box and put them all in."

With the local shelter unable to take the canines due to overcrowding, Huton brought the puppies home. His wife Hannah immediately began rallying their neighbors for help fostering and caring for the baby dogs. A neighborhood text went out, and soon community members offered their services to help Chace and Hannah care for the newborns — who weighed less than half a pound when found — including bathing them, treating them for fleas, and providing round-the-clock bottle-feeding.

Related: Dog Called 'Unluckiest' Canine in Britain After Spending 2 Years in Shelter Finds a Forever Home

Hannah and the other volunteers also received support from the Best Friends Animal Society. The organization provided veterinary visits, foster supplies, and instructions on how to bottle-feed and care for the dogs.

Soon, seven of the puppies were adopted into loving families in Little Rock, while two were transported to a Best Friends network partner in Chicago, where they were adopted.

Sadly, two of the puppies died due to health issues, according to the Best Friends Animal Society.

Related: Heaven the Smiling Shelter Pup Overcomes Her Fears and Is Crowned World's Cutest Rescue Dog

One of those who adopted one of the pups was neighbor Laura Jones, who spent seven weeks caring for the canines.

Jones welcomed Winnie into her family, with the now 11-week-old joining 4-year-old dog Kallie.

"They play together so well," Jones said, per the Best Friends Animal Society.

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"Winnie is very smart and has already learned to sit and shake hands, and he's figured out the doggy door. He loves people. And when we go on walks, he wants to check everybody out," Jones continued, adding that Winnie's favorite thing is eating.

"The whole experience tugged on my heartstrings for sure," Jones added.