Abandoned pregnant dog has puppies after rescue

Elsa gave birth to seven healthy puppies

A heavily pregnant dog left to fend for herself on a remote Lancashire forest fell has been rescued and given birth to seven puppies.

Exhausted, starving and shivering, all the Alsatian cross, christened Elsa by one of her rescuers, wanted to do was a find a safe and warm place to give birth.

While initial attempts to catch her had failed, a determined small band of animal lovers tracked her down on Longridge Fell in the Ribble Valley.

She was taken to the warm safety of Edencroft kennels in Chipping, near Clitheroe, where she gave birth to healthy puppies two days later, and rescuers say they are all "thriving".

The week-long drama began with Ribble Valley Council dog warden Jonathan Higham receiving a report of a stray dog on Longridge Fell.

He searched the fell and three days later spotted Elsa but was unable to catch her, so he called in support from volunteers at Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search and Rescue.

Together they set up a large secure humane trap with food and a resting place, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A remote camera was set up and monitored for several days and eventually Elsa "took the bait" and she was taken to Edencroft kennels.

Elsa and the puppies are all thriving, says Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search and Rescue

Mum and pups were then transferred to the Dogs Trust in Merseyside and homes will be found for them once the pups are weaned.

Mr Higham said: "It was heartbreaking to see a dog in such a distressed and vulnerable state alone like that.

"She's a beautiful dog and very mild-mannered but she wasn't microchipped and had no ID tag or anything to identify who she belonged to."

He said her rescue "shows what can be achieved through different organisations working together".

He added he was "pleased and proud" things had turned out all right for Elsa and her pups.

Michelle Newns-Peers, from Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search and Rescue, said: "So many dogs are being abandoned.

"To find out that a dog we were asked to help was heavily pregnant was absolutely shocking.

"I am so relieved she didn't end up giving birth out there."

She added she has been receiving updates on Elsa and her pups and they were "thriving".