CLEVELAND -- A resident of a Cleveland neighborhood contacted NewsChannel5 after she found a litter of abandoned puppies in an east side garage.

A 5-week-old chow retriever shepherd mix puppy was lucky to survive, but three of his littermates didn't make it, all because of an irresponsible dog owner, NewsChannel5's Joe Pagonakis reported.

Janet Cabrere talked about her frustration after she found a mother dog and her only remaining pup left out in the bitter weather in an abandoned garage.

Cabrere said she contacted the Cleveland mayor's action line and the Cleveland animal warden with no response.

"I called the police department and they told me they wouldn't do anything, that I would have to go back there and get the dogs and put them on the tree lawn. I don't think so," Cabrere said.

The mother was extremely protective, letting no one near her remaining pup. The lifeless bodies of three others from her litter were also near the garage.

No one responded to Cabrere's calls for help during last week's snowstorm, so Cabrere said she was able to feed the mother some homemade stew from a distance, the mom then giving the nourishment to the puppy.

"She does have a collar, but she won't let anybody get close to her," Cabrere said.

The Troubleshooter unit took the case, and the Animal Protective League came to the garage with two investigators.

The mother and puppy were in a tough spot, in the front wheel well of an abandoned Chevrolet Celebrity inside the garage.

It wasn't easy, but the mother and puppy are now safe and sound.

"This is why we try to get people to spay and neuter their animals. This is the result of an irresponsible owner who did not spay or neuter their animal," said the APL's Jed Mignano.

The puppy will now be taken to a shelter to get cleaned up and will be given a full physical examination.

The puppy's unfortunate lifestyle in the garage earned him his new name, Chevy.

If you find animals in distress, you should contact the APL. Safety is the first concern, but if the animals are not hostile, try to cover them with a blanket.

You can try providing food and fresh water until help arrives.

Chevy is now ready to be adopted to a good home. He has been neutered and will be ready to go home with a family on Friday.

There are other puppies and kittens at the APL that need good homes. Contact the APL at 216-771-4616 for adoption information, or go to the APL's Web site.