Eleven puppies abandoned on the edge of Centretown last week during a heavy snow storm are under the care of the Ottawa Humane Society.
Some of the abandoned puppies from the Ottawa Humane Society
The puppies were found Wednesday by a passerby who spotted them beside a dumpster near the Canadian War Museum, and took them to the Ottawa Humane Society. The five- to six-week-old puppies were in two small boxes with no food or water.
The puppies are all from the same litter and are a German Shepherd mix.
"It's very disturbing that someone would choose to abandon these tiny animals outdoors in a snowstorm, rather than bring them to the Ottawa Humane Society where we can give them a chance at finding a good home," said Bruce Roney, executive director of the Ottawa Humane Society.
Shortly after their arrival, a veterinarian examined each one and determined they were all in good health, said Ottawa Humane Society representative Mandy Chepeka.
Because the puppies were not suffering from hypothermia or any other cold weather-related illness, she said they couldn’t have been out there for very long.
Since then, five of the puppies have become sick, showing symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. They’re on a special diet and receiving special treatment.
It’s unclear whether they picked up a virus in the shelter or already had it, but it is not related to their time spent outside, Chepeka said.
The six healthy puppies will be sent to temporary foster homes for the next couple of weeks.
There has already been a lot of public interest in adopting them but the puppies won’t be ready for adoption for the next six-to-eight weeks, said Chepeka.