‘Heartbroken’: Five of 10 puppies found in rubbish truck have died

A rubbish truck driver found 10 puppies dumped in a shopping bag in the bag of her truck. Photo / Saving Hope Foundation

Five newborn puppies that were found dumped in the rubbish in southern Auckland last week have died, leaving their rescuers devastated.

A rubbish truck driver discovered 10 puppies tied in a fabric Countdown bag in a puddle of “filthy, stinking water” in the back of her truck, moments before compacting the load.

They were rescued and fostered out by Saving Hope Foundation, an Auckland dog adoption charity.

But four of the puppies - named Marty, Mabel, Maggie and Meg - have since died, the foundation announced on Facebook this weekend. It said the pups had been loved and would not be forgotten.

This morning, a fifth puppy, Max, died, foundation trustee Janine Hinton told TVNZ’s Breakfast.

An emotional Hinton called for a mass de-sexing drive, saying the dumping of puppies and kittens was all too common.

“How many other pups and kittens have been put in rubbish trucks and people not knowing they’re there?”

Since being found, five of the puppies have passed away, the foundation says. Photo / Saving Hope Foundation

“It is with so much sadness that I have to let you know that we have had four of our wee babies that were found in a rubbish truck pass away and now have their angel wings,” a post on Sunday said.

“We have no idea how long they had been in the rubbish and we were told that they were a challenge to retrieve from the truck, as the poor babies were in a fabric countdown bag with the handles tied up, and were sitting in a puddle of filthy stinky water, it was lucky they didn’t drown.”

All 10 puppies had been back and forth to the vets.

“We all knew it would be a battle and the fosters have been incredible but now are all extremely heartbroken.

“We can only hope that the other six will continue to fight to survive.”

The rubbish was being collected from a commercial area in the Papakura-Hunua area when the rubbish truck driver named Liz had begun to compact her load when she heard cries and stopped to check, according to an earlier post.

“In a bag, wet and cold, were 10 puppies still with their umbilical cords. WHO DOES THAT? Where is the poor mum? How close were these poor babies to becoming crushed?” it said.

“What is happening in NZ that people think this is ok. DON’T DUMP UNWANTED PUPS, ask for help and get the mum desexed.”