THOMASVILLE, Ga. — When veterinarian Craig Hines arrives at the South Georgia Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic early each morning, the first order of the day is to begin spaying and neutering cats and dogs.

However, as he stepped from his car on a recent morning, he was beseeched for assistance by a woman who was visiting nearby Cherokee Lake Park and made a startling discovery.

The woman discovered 10 tiny, whimpering puppies dumped near the gazebo with no protection from the elements.

The cold, wet puppies appeared to be about one week old.

“Their umbilical cords had fallen off, but their eyes were not yet open. Without their mother and because of the hostile circumstances in which they were found, their survival was definitely in jeopardy,” Carol Jones, clinic executive director, said.

The puppies were rushed to the spay and neuter clinic across Covington Avenue from the park. Hines and his staff began warming and feeding the babies.

Jones said the next order of business was to find foster homes for the tykes.

After several calls to rescues and supporters, clinic employees learned Michelle Williams with Pixel Fund in Valdosta would be able to place the puppies with her organization’s volunteers.

Animal welfare advocate Itaska Borowskim, of Thomasville, was traveling to Tifton to pull dogs from the shelter there to send to rescues.

“She was immediately directed to return to Thomasville to pick up the puppies for delivery to Valdosta and points south,” Jones said.

After a second feeding and defleaing, nine puppies were bundled into Borowskim’s car for the trip to Valdosta. Of those puppies, five were sent to Orlando, Florida, and four remained in Valdosta.

The runt remained in Thomasville with Dr. Linda McGarrah, also with the South Georgia Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic and with the adjacent Miss Kitty Feline Sanctuary.

“The runt required tube feeding, because he would not suckle a bottle. Sadly, the little fellow died, never able to make up for the adverse conditions he had been placed in,” Jones, Feline Sanctuary president, said.

Another puppy has died. Several puppies are struggling. Their survival is in question.

Very young puppies and kittens cannot control their body temperatures in the early weeks of life, Jones said.

“That these puppies were placed in the early morning, dew-laden grass for an unknown period of time definitely decreased their chances of survival,” she explained.

Jones said she does not understand why anyone would dump a litter of helpless newborn puppies in cold, wet grass at the city park.

“With several options for assistance for animals available in Thomasville, it is incomprehensible that someone would abandon puppies in this manner,” she said.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.