The San Diego Humane Society is asking for the public's help Thursday in naming nine adorable Rhodesian Ridgeback/hound-mix puppies and their mother, who were rescued by humane officers last month.
The five females and four males are now two weeks old and are in need of names.
The public has until Sunday, April 18, to submit suggestions online. San Diego Humane Society staff will choose the winning names and announce them on the organization's social channels on Tuesday, April 20. Winners will also receive San Diego Humane Society merchandise.
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The puppies and mom were rescued March 25, when San Diego Humane Society's Humane Law Enforcement responded to a report of a stray dog who just delivered a litter of puppies in the 5200 block of La Paz Drive.
When officers arrived, they found a mother dog who took shelter during the rain under a van, where she gave birth to 10 puppies. SDHS's humane officers carefully pulled them out, one by one. One puppy was not alive, but the other nine appeared healthy.
The mother dog and her puppies were taken to San Diego Humane Society's Pilar and Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine, where veterinarians performed detailed exams. For the next week, they were all closely monitored by the medical team and animal care staff to ensure they were healthy, growing and thriving.
The mother and all nine puppies were then transferred to a San Diego Humane Society foster family so they could be together and comfortable in a home while the puppies grow.
The mother did not have a microchip and an owner has not come forward. Once the puppies are at least eight weeks old, they will be spayed or neutered, microchipped and fully vaccinated before being placed for adoption.
Anyone interested in adopting can go to sdhumane.org/adopt to view animals who are ready for new families. During the COVID-19 pandemic, adoptions are by appointment only.
