Breeder Dumps Golden Puppies At Shelter When They Couldn’t Walk — Now They Run

“I fell in love the minute I saw them.”Published on Feb 21, 2026 at PMWhen Chrissy Elder founded Forgotten, Now Family Rescue, she felt called to give every abandoned dog in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area a second chance at life, a mission that became even more personal when she recently met two unique puppies suffering from swimmer puppy syndrome.Forgotten, Now Family RescueIt all started when Elder received a call from a rural shelter about two full-bred golden retriever puppies who’d been abandoned there.

Sadly, the puppies couldn’t stand up straight.

They’d been born with swimmer puppy syndrome, or “swimmers.”“Swimmers means their legs splay out and they make swimming motions instead of walking,” Elder wrote in an Instagram Reel.Forgotten, Now Family RescueThe shelter staff and Elder were heartbroken but not surprised.

This was far from the first case they’d encountered of a breeder abandoning sick puppies.“Of course, they are worth $0 to the breeder … so [they were] dumped and forgotten,” Elder wrote on Instagram. “I fell in love the minute I saw them.”Forgotten, Now Family RescueElder was smitten with the puppies, named Blanche and Dorothy, and promised to give them the care they needed to thrive.

She’d fostered puppies with “swimmers” before, and she had high hopes for Blanche and Dorothy’s futures.“I’ve rehabbed plenty of ‘swimmers’ babies, and they can all run now,” Elder wrote. “I can’t wait to see our golden girls run.”Forgotten, Now Family RescueSo, Elder took Blanche and Dorothy home and began a long treatment plan full of physical therapy, water therapy and brace assistance.

But the puppies weren’t the only ones in a season of healing.

Elder had been recovering from surgery herself when she rescued the pups, and they became a crucial part of her healing journey, too.“I’m still post-op from my surgery and recovering, and they are the best cuddle buddies so far,” Elder said.Forgotten, Now Family RescueWhile the puppies helped Elder recover, she helped them regain their mobility.

Before long, the puppies were able to straighten their legs and stand up tall.

Then, they began to run again.And Elder couldn’t have been happier to see them finally hopping around uninhibited.“They have progressed incredibly,” Elder told The Dodo. “I think they are going to be ready for homes within a few weeks.”You can watch the girls run around here:Once the puppies are ready, Elder will find the perfect homes for both of them.

She can’t wait to see Blanche and Dorothy finally get their happily-ever-afters.

In the meantime, she’s cherishing every bit of love they give her, a constant reminder of why she started her rescue in the first place.“Fostering them has been such an honor,” Elder said. “These girls are every reason we exist.

These girls were easily forgotten to that breeder, but to us, they are family now.”To help pups like Blanche and Dorothy get the care they need, you can donate to Forgotten, Now Family Rescue here.