Members of the U.S. Coast Guard came across a lucky dog trapped inside a shipping container bound for overseas.
What began as a routine inspection performed randomly among thousands of shipping containers at the Port of Houston last week ended with some surprise tail wags. The Coast Guard Houston-Galveston’s marine inspection team heard barking from one of the stacked containers and discovered a furry stowaway.
Connie the Container Dog, as the team has playfully dubbed her, was relieved to be rescued after spending over a week trapped in a container filled with totaled cars. Technicians Bryan Wainscott, Lucas Loe, Ryan McMahon, and Jose Reyes gave her some food and water before taking her to an animal shelter.
While it is unknown where exactly the container was hailing from, the prevailing theory is that Connie was taking shelter inside one of the totaled cars in a junkyard and accidentally got packed away,” explained Chief Petty Officer Corinne Zilnicki, spokesperson for the Coast Guard, according to NBC News.
Animal rescuers rallied to get Connie transported to Manassas, Virginia, where she is being fostered through the Forever Changed Animal Rescue. She has already received considerable attention from potential adopters, meaning a “fur-ever” home is likely just around the corner.
The Houston area has an estimated 1 million stray animals while its shelters are overcapacity. Harris County Pets, for instance, euthanized 7% of intakes in May and June of last year after having over 400 dogs in its facilities made for housing just shy of 250.
North Texas doesn’t fare much better, with Dallas Animal Services achieving a live release rate of 82% and operating at 123% capacity in its dog kennels.
For its part, the City of Fort Worth has partnered with the nonprofit Operation Kindness to provide spay and neuter services at area shelters, which receive around 50 animals a day, as previously covered in The Dallas Express. Although city ordinances require owners to spay or neuter their pets, enforcement is difficult, so the overpopulation problem continues.