Rescuers Save Three Abandoned Dogs from a Georgia Cemetery, Including One Found in a Drainage Pipe

Authorities say the dogs' former owners have since legally surrendered the animals and face charges for animal cruelty and abandonment

NEED TO KNOW

• Three abandoned dogs were rescued from a Georgia cemetery, including one found trapped in a drainage pipe
• The severely emaciated dogs are now receiving medical care and attention at the Walker County Animal Shelter
• The dog that was stuck in the drain, now nicknamed Miracle, is “surviving, waiting, and hoping” for an adoption.

Three dogs, including one found inside a drainage pipe, are recovering after ending up at a Georgia cemetery, authorities report.

According to a Monday, March 30, Facebook post from the Walker County Animal Shelter, located in Chickamauga, Ga., animal control officers responded that morning to a call about dogs allegedly left behind at McWilliams Cemetery in Smyrna.

Officials on the scene recalled hearing a "faint sound coming from underneath them," from a drainage pipe in the ground.

"Once on scene at the McWilliams Cemetery, located at West Armuchee Road and Smith Gap Road, officers found two emaciated dogs, scared and hungry, running loose through the cemetery," the post read.

Looking inside a nearby drainage pipe, officers discovered a third dog, severely emaciated and too weak to move. The female dog, later aptly named "Miracle," had crawled into the pipe, likely seeking shelter after being abandoned, according to the shelter, and found herself too weak to maneuver out.

Officers worked carefully to pull her from the confined space before rushing her to a local veterinarian. The medium-sized dog weighed just 10 pounds.

"What should have been a place of peace became the scene of fear, hunger, and survival for these innocent animals," the shelter said in its post. "All three dogs are now receiving medical care, food, and attention as they begin to recover."

In a recent update, officials said animal control officers later located the dogs' owners. The former owners legally surrendered the animals and face criminal charges for animal cruelty and abandonment.

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Authorities noted that similar cases are not uncommon and urged the public to seek help if they are unable to care for their animals. Resources are available, the shelter said, and, in this case, tips can be submitted anonymously.

"Every animal deserves safety, compassion, and a chance to recover," said the animal nonprofit.

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