Leon Anderson’s drive along Industrial Terrace in Kingston came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday when a troubling sight forced him to stop. Along the edge of a gully just off the roadway, several abandoned puppies clung desperately to the eroding bank—one slip away from plunging into the trench below.

Speaking with Observer Online, Anderson said he immediately pulled over to investigate. He found a litter of puppies wedged among bushes on the gully’s edge. More distressing, however, was the discovery that some of the animals had already fallen into the gully before he arrived.

While he was able to assist the puppies still on the bank, he realised that rescuing the others would require professional help.

“I called the police first but the police said I was wasting their time,” Anderson shared while shaking his head, visibly disappointed. “So when they said that, I called the fire brigade.”

While waiting for help to arrive, Anderson remained at the scene, keeping watch over the animals and refusing to leave them unattended. His frustration grew as the minutes passed and the puppies remained exposed to garbage, polluted water and the heat.

“The thing that upsets me the most really is the police because they should be more receptive to things like these. Even if they don’t come to rescue to them if they called the fire brigade then they would’ve come quicker,” reasoned Anderson.

Despite the delay, the situation ended positively when firefighters arrived and carried out the rescue. Using a ladder and a sturdy cardboard box, the crew retrieved the puppies from the gully and reunited them with those that had managed to stay on the bank.

Grateful for their assistance, Anderson thanked the firefighters as he was handed the box containing the rescued litter. He told Observer Online that he had originally planned to keep only two puppies, believing arrangements would be made for the others.

“I even had a bottle of water to wash off the two I planned to keep,” he said. “But when they told me I’d have to take all of them, I couldn’t leave them. I’m just not that kind of person. I love dogs—I used to have many, but I’ve scaled down.”

However, he was confident that his new puppies would be welcomed into a loving home, sharing that his wife adored dogs and would enjoy the surprise of his rescues.

“My wife really loves them so she’ll be happy for them. I don’t know where she’ll find so much names to give so many dogs but I know she’ll love them and take care of them,” said Anderson.