Some abandoned puppies from Puerto Rico were saved by All Sato Rescue and were then sent to the US through the ASPCA and Subaru's "Share the Love" event in a long trek to Waterville on Wednesday.

Foster families were able to pick the dogs up from the Humane Society Waterville Area, but the dogs are still in need of permanent homes. It will be a bit difficult to adopt them as they came from difficult backgrounds. One of the dogs, according to WCSH6, was Roxie, whose owner was robbed and became homeless, rendering him unable to take care of his pet while she was pregnant.

The Humane Society shelters animals until they are adopted into permanent homes. But more than that, according to their mission statement, they also educate the community about responsible pet ownership as well as advocate for humane treatment of animals. Their Waterville branch is located on Webb Road, but they also have numerous branches all over the southern part of the US.

But why are these pups sent to Maine? Director Lisa Smith said that it all boils down to pet population. She shared, "we like to help other shelters in other parts of the country who don't have enough adopters -- offer them some of what we have, which is a lot of adopters."

She further explained, "People will send their dogs from as far away as Texas, California, Puerto Rico...we've done an excellent job in Maine and New England with leash laws, spaying and neutering, licensing, so we don't have a dog overpopulation problem." The situation is almost unheard of in the southern part of the US, as pet population has started to become a problem, but Smith assured that they are willing to help.

For those who want to help but cannot personally adopt the newly acquired puppies, the shelter is always in need of food, toys, and flea and tick preventives. They are also in need of supplies for cleaning and maintenance. Donations in cash or in kind are always appreciated by the shelter.

If puppies are not your kind of pet, the Humane Society also shelters cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.

For inquiries about dog or pet adoption, contact the Humane Society Waterville via their phone (207) 873-2430, or email them at adoptions@hswa.org.

Will you be willing to adopt a new pet (or two) in need of a loving home?