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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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A Rottweiler puppy whose owner passed away and was found days later was just “minutes from death” when he was taken in by a rescue.
Locksley, who is thought to be around 7 to 8 weeks old, was discovered in a house with his deceased owner. After the owner passed away, nobody found the litter of Rottweiler puppies for a week, leaving them to starve and dehydrate. As a result, poor Locksley was the only surviving puppy.
He was found by Rochelle Steffen, CEO and founder of Mac’s Mission, a rescue organization that focuses on homeless dogs suffering from a medical crisis. Steffen, of Jackson, Missouri, told Newsweek that Locksley was in “awful condition” and wouldn’t have survived much longer without being saved.
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Fortunately, Locksley was discovered just in time and was immediately given the medical attention he desperately required.
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“The owner had passed in the home, and the animals were alone without food or water access for over a week,” Steffen said. “Locksley was in the worst condition, he was malnourished, dehydrated, had an upper respiratory infection and was the only remaining puppy of his litter.
“Had he not gotten care when he did, he likely would not have made it much longer. His tiny body was lifeless when he was found hiding under a couch.”
Locksley was given fluids, antibiotics and spent two days in the intensive care unit at the vet’s office.
Steffen was so delighted when she started to see improvements in his condition. He went through such a terrible experience, but thankfully he’s doing so much better now. Steffen tells Newsweek that he’s “doing great” and is loving every moment in his foster home.
“He is thriving and full of spunk. He is in a foster home and enjoying just being a happy puppy,” Steffen continued.
“He is still on medical hold while he recovers. He will need all his vaccines, needs to be neutered and microchipped and then he will be available. It should be late January when we start accepting applications, but applicants can check the Mac Facebook page or our website where we post all our available pets.”
Locksley’s story was shared on TikTok (@rochellesteffen) and it’s broken plenty of hearts online. A video showing the moment he was pulled out of an animal carrier looking scared and lifeless has gone viral with over 574,600 views and more than 59,400 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
The caption over the video explained that Locksley “was minutes from death” when he was discovered.
Mac’s Mission cares for homeless dogs who would die if they didn’t receive the necessary care and treatment. This includes those who have endured abuse, injury, neglect, or were born with genetic defects. As many rescues and shelters don’t have the financial means to help these animals, they are often euthanized, but Mac’s Mission refuses to give up on them.
Steffen and her team aim to heal these animals and help them find forever homes where they will be loved endlessly.
The online reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, as plenty of internet users showed their support for Locksley. Steffen has been amazed by the support Locksley received, and she hopes his journey will inspire people to consider adopting, fostering, or volunteering for a local rescue.
Steffen said: “The reaction has been amazing. Everyone has rallied together to support this sweet little guy, and we are so thankful to 15/10 Foundation for sponsoring all his medical care. The support from our community means we can continue rescuing more animals in a medical crisis.”
Since the video of Locksley was shared on December 16, it’s generated over 150 comments on TikTok already.
One comment reads: “I’m literally sobbing, thank you for saving this precious angel.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “Oh sweet baby. I'm so sorry about your littermates. Thankful they found you in time!”
Another person replied: “This hurts my heart! So glad he has you to love him.”
While one commenter added: “poor baby watched everything he knew pass away.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
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