Dakota Access Pipeline protesters who caused an environmental catastrophe at the Oceti Sakowin protest site left more than heaps of human waste, garbage, and petroleum-leaking vehicles. They also abandoned poor, defenseless puppies.

A total of two dogs and six puppies were found abandoned at the site and rescued by local nonprofit Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue, local news reported on Saturday.

“It’s a mess down there, so it’s really, really hard to find these animals and get them.”

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“Extremely sad being these guys were left behind. But we offer — Furry Friends offers hope. I mean, there’s so much hope within Furry Friends as far as these puppies finding homes,” said Furry Friends worker Tiffany Hardy.

There could be more animals at the site in need of rescue, too. The organization is set to return to the camp to catch animals who are being frightened by the sounds of the heavy machinery, which is being used to clean the area of the waste left by so-called environmental protesters.

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“It’s a mess down there, so it’s really, really hard to find these animals and get them,” said volunteer Julie Schirado.

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The two dogs the group rescued reportedly show signs of exposure to the brutal North Dakotan cold, with frost-bitten ears and mangy fur.

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The reports of the cast-aside canines follow news of the grave environmental threat to the Missouri River posed by the almost unfathomable amount of waste left at the site by protesters, a threat so grave it compelled North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to sign an emergency evacuation order.

Authorities estimated that protesters left enough garbage and human waste to fill 2,500 pickup trucks.