When workers at the Animal Welfare League NSW received a call from a concerned neighbour about the condition of dogs kept in an apartment on Sydney's northern beaches, they were quick to send an officer to visit the property.
Once there, they found a mother dog -- a husky/staffy cross -- with nine two-week-old puppies in desperate need of new home.
Conditions at the apartment were dreadful. One puppy had died and been thrown in the kitchen rubbish bin. Another pup had been "trodden on" by a man in the home and was clearly in agony.
Karen Davies, Animal Services Manager at the Animal Welfare League, told HuffPost Australia the owner agreed to surrender the dogs.
"The apartment was quite small, too small to comfortably home so many animals, and the tenant agreed they could not appropriately provide for the animals' needs," she said.
"We found the mother dog was underweight, and needed veterinary attention. The conditions the pups were being kept in were less than ideal.
"On return to the shelter, three of the pups were found to have a significant, untreatable congenital neurological condition and had to be euthanased. The rest of the family now requires ongoing attention to get them healthy and hopefully, ready to be rehomed."
When mum and pups arrived at Animal Welfare League NSW, they were given a health check by the vets who work at the not-for-profit clinic. The puppies are between three and four weeks old, while mummy dog, who was badly underweight, is aged only 18 months.
"All of the family have now been put on to a high quality diet to improve their overall health and wellbeing," Davies said.
"Mum has had some extra attention and as the puppies grow and are able to be weaned, they will go through the normal procedures to ensure their ongoing health and wellbeing."
The good news is the dogs are all responding well to treatment, despite a pretty bad start in life. They are also loving the cuddles, high-quality food and love they're receiving from the dedicated staff. Once the pups are eight weeks they'll be de-sexed and made available for adoption.
Anybody wishing to give these gorgeous dogs a loving new home, please check the Animal Welfare League NSW Facebook page, and website.
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