Tennessee Puppies Found Taped in Box Cruelly Marked 'Stuffed Animals'

A woman made a terrifying discovery last week outside a Goodwill center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when she came across a box with three puppies trapped inside.

The box, labeled "stuffed animals," was taped shut and found by the concerned citizen on the afternoon of April 18th, said Jamie Lampman, executive director of the McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

"As they got in the car they saw the box moving," Lampman said. "It was taped pretty solid. When they popped a hole in the box, all the noses popped out. They were covered in urine and it was about 83 to 85 degrees that day."

The puppies, who are all estimated to be nine to 12 weeks old, were immediately brought to the shelter by the woman.

Leslie Stokes, an animal service officer who's investigating the case, said that she's relying on tips from the public to eventually prosecute those responsible.

"We have dozens of leads coming in from Tennessee and Georgia," Stokes said. "It happened in the middle of the day, so someone had to see something. We are trying to get surveillance video from someone at Goodwill to see if there were any cars that pulled in."

Despite the horror they endured, Green said the puppies' health statuses are improving.

"They were pretty dehydrated and haven’t had a lot of nutrition, but they are flourishing," she said. "Within 48 hours they started to act like puppies again. They’ve really stolen a lot of hearts."

The three female puppies, who were given the names Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, and Marilyn Monroe, have already been requested for adoption by many.

"We've been calling them 'the Goodwill' puppies," Green said.

A representative of Chattanooga Goodwill Industries, Inc. released the following statement to ABC News regarding the incident.

“Chattanooga Goodwill Industries is grateful for the quick thinking and reaction of a “good Samaritan” who noticed and rescued the three puppies that were recently placed in a taped-up box and left on a sidewalk in the near vicinity of one of our donation center trailers. And we are thankful that McKamey Animal Care Center was able to take in and care for the puppies.

The attendant on duty that day was not approached or contacted by the woman who found the box or by the McKamey Animal Care Center. The attendant was unaware of the situation since the box was not found in the immediate area of the donation trailer. It is the policy of Chattanooga Goodwill Industries that one’s immediate supervisor be contacted if an animal is left at any of our donation sites.”

There's currently a reward for $4,000 to whomever can lead the McKamey Animal Center and or the Chattanoga Police to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for abandoning the puppies.

To donate to the cause, visit McKameyAnimalCenter.org.