Dogs Trust Leeds is urgently appealing for canine foster mums to help care for a litter of eight puppies (five boys and three girls) that were abandoned at just one day old. The puppies still had their umbilical cords attached when they were found in a cardboard box behind a Yorkshire cinema complex on Friday.

Over the past five days the puppies have been given round-the-clock care by Dogs Trust staff. Sadly, one of the puppies died overnight, but the charity now hopes to find two or three canine mothers who are already nursing small litters to take on the pups between them. The doggy foster mums would need to nurse them alongside their own puppies for six to eight weeks, until they are old enough to be weaned. They would then be taken back to the Rehoming Centre where staff will continue to look after them until loving new homes can be found.

Amanda Sands, Manager of Dogs Trust Leeds Rehoming Centre, explains:

“We are truly appalled that someone could abandon these defenceless puppies and leave them to die in a cardboard box.

We’re desperate for anyone whose dog might be able to nurse a few more puppies to contact us. Provided the potential foster mothers are happy to let the extra pups feed from them, they will need to stay together for six to eight weeks.

The team and I are very optimistic that the British public will come to these poor little creatures’ rescue.”

Dogs Trust is also concerned for the puppies’ mother as she will be confused and in great distress at having ‘lost’ her babies. The charity is urging her owner to take her to a vet to ensure she is given the medical care needed.

Anyone whose dog might be a suitable foster mum should contact Dogs Trust Leeds on 0113 281 4920. The Rehoming Centre would also like to hear from any members of the public who are interested in caring for other puppies that are in need throughout the year.

Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 16,000 stray and abandoned dogs each year through its network of 17 Rehoming Centres across then UK

so cruel

Big up to Leeds Dog's trust though, can anyone take a guess at what breed, well, size at least they might be? I can't find this info anywhere, I'm just thinking, wouldn't this be important to bitches taking them on? Or not?