In pictures: ‘Miracle’ as pups ‘found in cement bag’ in Tipp forest survive to find foster homes

Eight pups who were ‘stuffed in a heavy-duty cement bag’ and ‘left to die’ in Tipperary have found their own happy endings after landing foster homes for the New Year.

The ISPCA charity said the litter was first discovered by a kind-hearted woman and her children on a forest walk back in June. They explained the group stopped in their tracks after hearing faint whimpering coming from the trees and then traced the cries to a white bag found just off the path. When they saw what was inside, their hearts almost stopped.

It contained 13 pups, each of which was no more than a few days old, with some still having their umbilical cords attached. The woman found that five of the animals had sadly passed away already, but carefully took the other eight into her rucksack and rushed them to the team at City Vets in Waterford for urgent treatment.

Their team put the litter under strict surveillance immediately, and the ISPCA said it was a ‘miracle’ that all of the animals made it through the first 48 hours. From then on, they were given plenty of heat, food and water, as well as all the care needed to grow up happy and healthy.

In a recent update, the charity confirmed that the pups are now thriving after being split up into pairs and sent to foster homes in Donegal, Carlow and Kildare.

The ISPCA has shared photos of the young pups as they were found and in their new homes, as well as an adorable video of one of them being bottle-fed (available at the top of the article).

A spokesperson for the group said: “It’s heart-warming when we receive updates from our adopters to see how the animals we rescue are thriving with their new families, living their best lives, so loved and cared for. Thank you!

“When you support to the ISPCA you are enabling our Animal Welfare Inspectors to continue rescuing the animals in need and helping to keep our Rescue Centres open 365 days of the year.