LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A mama dog and her two puppies were rescued Wednesday morning after being found trapped in a small crate by a dumpster in a business park.
Ulli Brokate was walking her dog, Leia, in the area of Eastern and Rochelle when she heard barking.
“There’s usually not a lot of pedestrians. And then I heard a dog bark, so I looked around, and I couldn’t see a dog or anybody because it’s not a residential area. So I was like, maybe I should check what’s going on,” Brokate said.
She followed the sound to find three chocolate-colored pitbulls left behind a dumpster at a hair salon. The dogs were hidden under a sheet with rocks and a wooden board placed on top of the crate.
“When I heard the bark, I expected one dog, which already would have been bad enough, but when I saw those three, especially the babies, I was so shocked, and I knew that moment I had to do something to help them,” Brokate said.
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Rescue and recovery
Brokate called Paws Patrol LV, who responded to the scene. The organization posted about what they called a “heartbreaking situation.”
“They didn’t have any water or food, obviously, because the container was way too small,” Brokate said.
The Animal Foundation says Clark County Animal Protection Services dropped the dogs off at the shelter about 9 a.m. Wednesday.
All three dogs are doing well. One of the puppies, named Deacon by Animal Foundation staff, has been adopted. The other puppy, Lila, is still available. The mother, now named Alma, is on hold until she is spayed.
“I’m still when I talk about it, start crying sometimes because it makes me so sad, that those dogs had to be in that place for I don’t know how long,” Brokate said.
Similar cases
Last July, a security camera outside the Nevada SPCA caught someone tying a dog to a pole. Staff found the dog scared and stressed in the rising heat.
In summer 2024, a bulldog that rescuers named Reba was left in a plastic bin with the lid taped shut. A passerby rescued her, and vets tried to save her, but she later died.
Reba’s Law became state law almost a year later. The law broadens the definition of animal cruelty and increases penalties.
The Animal Foundation has a pet support hotline for emergency situations. The hotline is available for those who have lost a pet, found a pet, or would like to surrender a pet to the shelter. The number is 702-760-PETS, available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Metro police referred questions about a possible investigation to Clark County Animal Protection Services, which did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. FOX5 will keep you updated when we hear back.
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