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Puppies get second chance after 'callous' act

A litter of puppies have been found dumped on a Queensland beach, leading authorities to label those responsible “callous”.

Found by a passer-by at the Sunshine Coast suburb of Wurtulla on Tuesday, six of the Australian cattle dog pups are now in foster homes.

RSPCA Queensland spokesperson Michael Beatty said they were lucky to have survived, noting that a seventh in the litter died from the ordeal.

Six white puppies being held by three women.
Six puppies are in foster homes after being found dumped in a box. Source: RSPCA QLD

“You know, the others probably didn't have long to live either. If they hadn't been found,” Mr Beatty said.

The tiny white pups with pink ears, paws and muzzles, are estimated to be just three days old, making them especially vulnerable without their mother.

Without attention they would have succumbed to cold, dehydration, or an attack from a wild animal or bird.

A puppy being bottle-fed.
The dogs would not have survived if a passer-by had not found them. Source: RSPCA QLD

“What makes incidents like this so distressing is not just the callous nature of the person who dumped them, but the fact that they could have been surrendered to the council or the RSPCA or another rescue organisation,” Mr Beatty said.

Call for owners to desex dogs to prevent unwanted puppies

Speaking with Yahoo News Australia, Mr Beatty added that the incident left him particularly frustrated, because if the owners had desexed their dogs, they wouldn’t have unwanted puppies.

“Instead they dump them on a beach. It means the person is just taking absolutely no responsibility for their actions at all,” he said.

"Some people don't deserve to have animals.

“If you have a pet with that pet comes certain responsibilities, both moral and financial."

The beach at Wurtulla at dusk or sunrise.
The puppies were found on a beach at Wurtulla, Queensland. Source: Getty

RSPCA's discounted dog desexing

In 2020, about 20,000 dogs were estimated to have been spayed as part of a Queensland-wide RSPCA campaign called Operation Wanted.

The scheme, which offers a 20 per cent discount on desexing, will run again this year, from June until the end of August.

Anyone with information in relation to the dumped puppies is asked to please contact the RSPCA on 1300 264 625.

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