Newborn pup loses fight for survival
Despite round the clock care a newborn puppy found on a Clackmannanshire street has lost her fight for survival.
The tiny black female puppy was found lying on the pavement in The Orchard area of Tullibody last Wednesday (17 February).
Scottish SPCA Inspector Leanne McPake rescued the tiny hours-old puppy and took her to the charity's Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre at Balerno, where she was hand reared.
After our appeal for information it is now known that the owner of the mother had been out walking her when she gave birth. Unaware of this the owner took the dog home where she gave birth to a further nine puppies.
Inspector McPake said, "Tilly survived for five days after she was discovered still in her birth sack, but she was very weak and began struggling on Monday night.
"She had missed out on vital nutrients from her mother's milk in the first few hours of her life so we knew that her chances of survival were going to be very slim.
"However, it is always worth trying as we have had some success in the past with hand rearing puppies from birth. It's incredibly sad, but at least we tried to give her that chance.
"We are relieved to know that the mother and the rest of her litter are well and receiving care."