‘Snuggled up together’: Puppies abandoned at Walmart reunited with their mother at shelter

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) - Six puppies abandoned at a Kansas-area Walmart last week have been reunited with their mother.

According to the McPherson Police Department, the situation started when it was called about the half-dozen puppies, who were barely a week old, being found abandoned at the store in a pink camping bag.

“Their eyes were still closed. They were squirming around and squeaking, crying. And all six of them were doing it. So that was a good thing,” McPherson Police Chief Mikel Golden said.

Police collected parking lot surveillance video that led them to a person of interest, along with finding the puppies’ mother.

That person, a yet-to-be-identified man not from McPherson, agreed to allow police to take the puppies’ mother back to the shelter so she could nurse her pups.

The mother dog was brought to the McPherson Animal Shelter, which is operated by the police department, on Thursday morning.

“Immediately the puppies latched on and momma lay down to snuggle them,” police said. “I’m not crying, you’re crying!”

According to Golden, the investigation is ongoing and pending charges have been forwarded to the city prosecutor.

Investigators are working to determine why the puppies were abandoned and if there will be consequences for the owner.

“Just know that we’re doing our best. And when we run it through the prosecutor and court, when they make their decisions, we’ll see where this goes. But we want to protect the mother and we want to protect the puppies. And we will do that,” Golden said.

The police department said it would keep the mother until the puppies are adopted. The mother will also receive updated shots and be spayed.

“Right now, with us getting the mom for the feeding, it’s a very good situation,” Golden said. “They are basically snuggled up together.”

Golden noted the department has not yet decided if the mother of the puppies will be returned to the owner. That will be largely up to the courts as the case proceeds.