A tiny, severely underweight puppy reportedly squeezed beneath a fence into a family’s yard, then found a temporary home with Alicia and Tre. After one night of food and warmth, a veterinarian warned that she might not have survived another day without treatment. The couple named her Pumpkin—and ultimately kept her.
How Pumpkin was found
The account published by iHeartDogs on January 1, 2024, says the puppy wriggled under a fence and appeared in a family yard. The family contacted their friends Alicia and Tre, who already lived with a dog named Laila. Alicia and Tre agreed to take the puppy in for the night.
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The headline describes the puppy as getting into the couple’s dresser drawer. The available narrative focuses on her getting under the fence and being brought indoors; it does not provide an independently documented account of the drawer itself.
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Her condition was described as critical
The story portrays Pumpkin as extremely thin, bloated and still alert and affectionate. Alicia and Tre gave her milk, which she consumed urgently. The next day they took her to a veterinarian, who reportedly said she would not have survived another day without intervention.
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That is a description in a lifestyle-media account, not a published medical record. No veterinary report, diagnosis, measurements or treatment plan is included, so the story cannot establish the puppy’s exact weight, age, dehydration level or underlying illness.
What happened after the veterinary visit
The narrative says Pumpkin recovered and quickly showed a determined, energetic personality. She chased rakes and explored her surroundings rather than remaining passive after her ordeal.
Laila’s acceptance
Laila was initially selective about other dogs, according to the account. She nevertheless accepted Pumpkin. The two dogs reportedly became inseparable and often slept together on the same couch.
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A foster placement became permanent
What began as an overnight emergency stay ended with Pumpkin remaining permanently with Alicia and Tre. In rescue terminology, that outcome is commonly called a “foster fail”: a foster family adopts the animal it intended to house temporarily.
What the published accounts establish—and what they do not
A second iHeartDogs page dated October 17, 2023, and a Dooglovers copy repeat the same basic narrative. The duplicate versions provide moderate corroboration that the story circulated consistently, but they are not independent veterinary or rescue records.
- Established in the accounts: Pumpkin entered a yard by squeezing under a fence; Alicia and Tre took her in; she was fed milk and seen by a veterinarian the following day; she was described as dangerously undernourished; she bonded with Laila; and she stayed with the couple.
- Not established: the city or country, breed or mix, exact age, weight, rescue-group involvement, shelter intake, laboratory results, specific diagnosis, or a named veterinarian.
No direct interview with Alicia, Tre or the veterinarian appears in the located versions, and no publishable statistic accompanies the story. Details beyond the points above should therefore be treated as unknown rather than filled in by assumption.
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Why feeding a found puppy requires veterinary guidance
Pumpkin’s reported hunger explains why the rescuers offered food, but a starving or very young puppy can have urgent medical needs that are not visible from appearance alone. Anyone who finds a similar animal should contact an emergency veterinarian or local shelter promptly, keep the puppy warm and separated from resident pets until an examination, and follow professional instructions about fluids and feeding.
Milk replacer formulated for puppies may be appropriate in some circumstances, depending on age and condition. Ordinary household milk is not a complete substitute for veterinary-directed nutrition, and forcing food or liquid can create additional risks. The correct product, preparation, amount and feeding schedule depend on the puppy’s size, development and health; those details are not available for Pumpkin.
The lasting outcome
The emotional arc of the story is straightforward: a puppy that arrived thin and vulnerable received immediate shelter, veterinary attention and a chance to recover, then formed a close relationship with the household’s existing dog. Pumpkin’s adoption by Alicia and Tre turned an emergency foster stay into a permanent home.
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