MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Puppies found with swollen muzzles almost ready for adoption

Jun 16, 2025, 2:30 PM | Updated: 2:41 pm

Three puppies found with swollen muzzles in Auburn are healing physically and emotionally – and s...

Three puppies found with swollen muzzles in Auburn are healing physically and emotionally – and soon will be ready for a forever home. (Courtesy CVAR/Sara Penhallegon, via KIRO-7)

(Courtesy CVAR/Sara Penhallegon, via KIRO-7)

QUILCENE, Wash. — Three puppies found with swollen muzzles in Auburn are healing physically and emotionally – and soon will be ready for a forever home.

Center Valley Animal Rescue (CVAR) says it’s currently caring for the six-month-old coonhound puppies—Hina, Lakona, and Pono.

The puppies arrived in April after Regional Animal Services King County (RASKC) picked them up. The agencies say it appears their muzzles were forcibly closed with perhaps duct tape or wrap adhesive.

The dogs were found roaming about a mile from Southeast Green Valley Road in April.

“They expressed some pretty fearful behavior when they saw other dogs, which we thought was interesting. So these puppies, whatever they’ve been through, is likely not, you know, a normal home environment,” Sergeant Rebecca Smokoska with RASKC told KIRO 7 at the time the dogs were discovered.

CVAR says since then, they’ve been providing Hina, Lakona, and Pono with veterinary care, are working to socialize them, and are teaching them about love and safety.

“Despite all they’ve been through, they are gentle, curious, and have started to show the joyful, loving nature of the puppies that they are,” CVAR’s Fundraising Coordinator Cassandre Mendel tells KIRO 7.

CVAR hasn’t said exactly when the three will be ready for adoption, but donations toward their care can be made here until that day comes.

“We will continue to update the community as they progress,” Mendel says. “In time, we hope to see them adopted into loving homes that will cherish and protect them forever!”



MyNorthwest News

bite of seattle ferguson text...

Frank Lenzi

Bite of Seattle shooting: Ferguson texts reveal Jayapal’s concerns about news conference

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal questioned whether she and Gov. Bob Ferguson should attend a news conference after the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting, according to text messages released by Ferguson’s office. The shooting left three people dead and four others wounded.

4 hours ago

seattle man dies in custody...

Luke Duecy

$30 million claim filed against Seattle over fatal police shooting of man in alleged mental health crisis

Attorneys for the family of a Seattle man fatally shot by police have filed a $30 million claim against the city, alleging officers used excessive force.

9 hours ago

washington casinos close...

MyNorthwest Staff

8 Washington casinos set to close, putting 850 people out of work

Maverick Washington LLC is closing eight casinos across Washington, putting 850 people out of work on Nov. 30.

9 hours ago

floatplane...

MyNorthwest Staff

Floatplane makes emergency landing on lake near Marysville

A floatplane made an emergency landing on a lake near Marysville Wednesday afternoon.

10 hours ago

downtown Seattle job losses...

Frank Lenzi

Downtown Seattle accounts for roughly 70% of city’s job losses

Seattle lost more than 18,000 jobs from 2024 to 2025, with downtown accounting for roughly 70% of those losses.

10 hours ago

Ireland...

Jason Sutich

‘No way to escape’: Ireland man sentenced for disrupting Dublin-to-Seattle flight

A Northern Ireland resident who disrupted an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Seattle on June 19 was sentenced Wednesday.

12 hours ago

Puppies found with swollen muzzles almost ready for adoption