We don’t really expect anything unusual to happen when we are out for a drive but for one person in Vineland, New Jersey, he saw something very sad when he was in his car. There were five bald and very sick looking puppies huddled together along the road. He knew right away that they had been abandoned and he decided to do something about it.

They contacted South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter and an animal control officer was dispatched to pick up the puppies. When the officer saw the shape they were in, he decided to take them to the veterinarian before they went to the shelter. They needed immediate medical attention. All of them had eye infections, mange, swollen feet and many open sores. They also were extremely malnourished and it was easy to see that they had been neglected.

After they were checked by the veterinarian, the puppies headed over to the shelter. Volunteers were shocked at what they saw. The puppies had been treated so poorly but even though that was the case, they were still the friendliest puppies and continue to greet the rescuers with a lot of love.

“They were all very sweet on intake, even with the condition that they were in,” Kathleen Leary, director of operations for the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter, said. “They were wagging their tails and licking our faces.”

It is estimated that the puppies are around 5 1/2 months old and they seem to be a mix of mastiff and cane corso. Nobody will know for sure, because they are in really bad shape. They are mostly bald with little bits of fur here and there. They will be receiving plenty of TLC to ensure that they recover as quickly as possible.

“They are on antibiotics, eye meds and medicated baths and will be rechecked weekly by our veterinarian,” Leary told The Dodo.

The five puppies are doing well in foster care, considering what they have been through. It was decided that they would be named after Super Mario characters, and are calling them the Mushroom Kingdom 5: Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Daisy and Princess Peach.

“Their little personalities are [slowly] coming out, they all seem to be good with other dogs and love people,” Leary said.

Although the puppies are still recovering, the shelter is hoping that they will be ready for adoption in about a month. The Mushroom Kingdom 5 may have had a difficult start in life but they are now getting a lot of love and attention that they were missing at first.

“We are also trying to find out who did this to them and of course we worry what condition the parents may be in, so if anyone has any leads, they can call the Vineland Police Department at 856-691-4111,” Leary said.

If you’d like to help these puppies and other animals in need, you can donate to the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter.