An animal charity was stunned when it rescued an abandoned dog just hours before it gave birth to 12 puppies – and is now on the hunt for someone to adopt them.
Darla, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was at risk of being dumped on the streets after her owners were evicted.
The heavily pregnant pooch was taken in by animal charity Blue Cross in Ipswich on October 10 and cared for at a rehoming centre.
But 48 hours later staff were shocked when one-year-old Darla had a litter of 12 puppies – which now all need rehoming.
Darla, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, with her puppies after giving birth at animal charity Blue Cross in Ipswich
Staffordshire bull terrier Darla had her brood – nicknamed the ’12 pups of Christmas’ – just 48 hours after being taken in by the team at the animal charity’s rehoming centre in Wherstead near Ipswich
It was the largest litter the Blue Cross had ever had at their rehoming centre but they are hoping to have them in their new forever homes before Christmas
The whole family will stay in Blue Cross care until the puppies are old enough to be weaned and leave mum, after eight weeks
The puppies, six boys and six girls, already have homes to go to and one will be found for Darla
The male pups are called Sun, Star, Galaxy, Neptune, Earth and Jupiter while their sisters are Moon, Comet, Mercury, Venus, Pluto and Saturn
Twelve puppies are in safe hands at national pet charity Blue Cross after their homeless and heavily pregnant mother was urgently found a room to give birth
It was the largest litter the Blue Cross had ever had at their rehoming centre but they are hoping to have them in their new forever homes before Christmas.
Animal welfare assistant Bradley Tovell, said: ‘When we received a call asking us to help Darla, we couldn’t turn her away.
‘She was likely to go into labour any day and as her owners were being evicted, she faced having her pups on the streets.
‘Thankfully we did have room at our inn, or rather kennels, because within two days of admitting her, Darla’s pups had arrived.
‘The team have been helping Darla by bottle feeding her pups and hand feeding her as well.
‘Twelve puppies is a large litter for any dog, let alone a dog of Darla’s petite size.
‘It’s certainly the biggest litter we’ve ever had at Blue Cross.
‘She is doing amazing and we’re so proud of her.
Blue Cross is calling on people to help them give more pets in need like Darla (pictured) and her pups
Bradley Tovell, Animal Welfare Assistant at Blue Cross Suffolk rehoming centre who is caring for the family, said they ‘couldn’t turn away’ a pregnant dog
One of Darla’s pups yawns safe inside national pet charity Blue Cross
The male pups are called Sun, Star, Galaxy, Neptune, Earth and Jupiter while their sisters are Moon, Comet, Mercury, Venus, Pluto and Saturn
‘Twelve puppies is a large litter for any dog, let alone a dog of Darla’s petite size,’ Bradley Tovell, Animal Welfare Assistant at Blue Cross Suffolk rehoming centre said
The whole family will stay in Blue Cross care until the puppies are old enough to be weaned and leave their mother (pictured)
‘Because she has so many mouths to feed, we’ve been helping her out by supplementing the puppies’ mealtimes with bottles four times a day.
‘Poor Darla has been too exhausted to eat, so we’ve been encouraging her by hand feeding her too.’
The whole family will stay in Blue Cross care until the puppies are old enough to be weaned and leave their mother.
The puppies, six boys and six girls, already have homes to go to and one will be found for Darla.
The male pups are called Sun, Star, Galaxy, Neptune, Earth and Jupiter while their sisters are Moon, Comet, Mercury, Venus, Pluto and Saturn.