When a kind stranger heard faint cries coming from a trash can in Austin, Texas, they stopped to investigate. Inside, they found a tiny, four-week-old husky puppy—”cold, weak”, and “barely hanging on”.

Without hesitation, the good Samaritan rushed the puppy to a local emergency veterinary clinic where the dog, now named Kiss, was in a critical condition.

His blood sugar was too low to read and he was too weak to eat, but veterinary staff worked through the night to stabilize him, warming his tiny body, administering fluids, and doing everything they could to give him a fighting chance.

Despite being so fragile he could barely lift his head, staff could tell Kiss wanted to hold on, and by the next morning he was transferred to Austin Animal Center to finish his treatment, but when he still needed more help, Austin Pets Alive! (APA) stepped in.

At APA!, Kiss received more urgent medical intervention. The team worked quickly to regulate his blood glucose, rehydrate him, and start him on antibiotics—just in time.

“Care like this would cost over $1,000 at a private clinic,” APA! told Newsweek. “We do everything we can to keep that cost lower for pets like Kiss—but it’s still a heavy lift.”

In 2024, approximately 7 million animals entered U.S. shelters and rescues, according to Shelter Animals Count—an increase of nearly 3 percent from 2023. By the end of the year, 103,000 more pets had entered shelters than had exited. Stray dog and cat intakes decreased slightly in 2024 compared to 2023, but strays still made up 60 percent of all community intakes.

Now he is on the mend, Kiss’s story was shared on APA!’s Instagram account, @austinpetsalive, last week, where his little face has captured hearts, racking up nearly 2,000 likes.

“Precious baby! Thank you to all who helped save this pup!” said one viewer on Instagram.

While another wrote: “Prayers for this sweet puppy.”

“That tiny baby,” said @modernalchemytx. “Who is throwing an angel like that out like garbage.”

Now, Kiss is searching for a foster home where he can continue to heal and grow. Anyone interested in Kiss should contact Austin Pets Alive! directly for more information. “This little pup would be lucky to have you and you would be lucky to have him,” APA! said.

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