After being left in a duffle bag outside SPCA Hastings in July, Hope (left) and Lucky are now looking to be adopted. Image/ composite
After being left in a duffle bag outside SPCA Hastings in July, Hope (left) and Lucky are now looking to be adopted. Image/ composite
Two puppies left in a duffel bag outside a Hawke’s Bay SPCA are ready to be adopted.
In July, the Hastings SPCA team arrived at work in the morning after a particularly cold winter’s evening to find a duffel bag left outside.
Inside the zipped-up bag were two puppies.
Thepuppies were fittingly named Lucky and Hope, and SPCA Hawke’s Bay centre manager Tamra Hay said they are living up to their names.
“Left at the gate, zipped up in a duffel bag on one of the coldest nights this winter, they likely only survived because they had each other to keep warm, but it was a close call,” she said.
“If the owner had made contact [with SPCA], we could have arranged for the mother dog to be desexed, provided food to help her gain condition and these pups could have avoided the trauma of being left in their own excrement, with insufficient ventilation, for hours overnight.”
SPCA Hastings canine team lead Christina Makhmetova holds Hope and Lucky soon after they were found zipped up in a duffel bag.
Lucky and Hope have grown up and are looking for new owners to adopt them to their forever home.
According to the SPCA, Lucky is a handsome young boy who has been gaining confidence every day, and while he’s naturally on the lower-energy side, he is curious, eager to learn, and very food-motivated.
He’s already grasped several commands, loves a good game of fetch with a soccer ball, and is a dream to walk on the lead.
Despite being a big boy for his age, that won’t stop him trying to curl up in your lap like a much smaller pup.
When faced with something new or uncertain, Lucky’s first instinct is to seek comfort from someone he trusts, often sitting gently beside them until he feels safe again – a sweet sign of his gentle nature and the strong bonds he forms.
Hope is a lively, confident young pup with a zest for life and a heart full of love.
The SPCA said she walks beautifully on a lead, loves playing in the water, knows several basic commands well and is eager to learn more.
After a walk or some playtime, her energy shifts from medium to low and she’s happy to have a nap.
Curious like her brother, Hope is described by the SPCA as affectionate, gentle, and always ready to give you full attention to see the smile on your face.
More information about Lucky and Hope can be found on the SPCA Hastings website.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.
