Help name SPCA’s newborn pups

‘‘The SPCA are holding a competition for school aged children to name the nine puppies.’’

Taupo SPCA are seeking the help of the community’s little ones to help decide names for puppies whose mother was abandoned.

Recently, Bess - an American Bull Terrier - was left in the amnesty cage at the Taupo pound in the middle of the night.

‘‘This dog was emaciated, cold and hungry,’’ SPCA centre manager, Lydia Charteris, said.

‘‘She had pressure sores on her legs and was riddled with fleas and worms.

‘‘This beautiful girl was also heavily pregnant.’’

Quick work was made by SPCA and the Taupo pound to get Bess to a vet to be checked over. It wasn’t long after this, Bess was comfortable, safe and warm.

Charteris ended up fostering Bess so that she could be monitored 24 hours a day.

‘‘Bess was started on a special diet to try and help her to re-gain as much condition as possible and had lots of small meals throughout the day and night,’’ Chartis said.

‘‘She was wormed and treated for fleas and had a pregnancy scan to check the pups were all ok.’’

About 15 days ago, Bess gave signs that the puppies were on their way.

During the early hours of the morning, Bess gave birth to nine puppies - all of whom need a name.

And that’s where the Taupo primary school kids come in.

The SPCA are holding a competition for school aged children to name the nine puppies.

‘‘We need six boy and three girl names and our judging panel which is made up of nine local business’ will pick a winning name each,’’ Charteris said.

’’The winning nine names will then be entered into a draw to win a family pass to DeBretts Spa Resort.’’

Charteris said they have held a similar competition a few years back but it was on a much smaller scale and she hopes it will help with finding them all homes.

‘‘We are holding the competition to try and get some traction for this wee family, so that they all find loving forever homes when they are ready,’’ she said.

But there are some rules to this competition.

The competition is for schools only – please provide a full name, the name of you class and the name of your school with your entry.

Please email the SPCA with entries at taupo.manager@rnzspca.org.nz before Friday 16th June 2017.