Witness comes forward in case of abandoned Cape Breton puppies

HALIFAX – Five puppies are recovering in Halifax after being left for dead in Sydney, N.S. over the weekend.

The newborn litter was found by two teens who were walking nearby. They said the puppies were in garbage bags that were tossed in a ditch. One of the dogs was dead, and the other five were very weak.

Litters ‘n Critters, a Halifax rescue group, said the Cape Breton SPCA asked it to care for the surviving puppies, which have since been brought to Halifax and placed in an incubator. They are doing better, but are not out of the woods yet.

Shelley Cunningham, the president of the group, said one of the five puppies is especially weak and has shown the fewest signs of progress.

She said in the past few days, members of the public have raised almost $1,300 as a reward for any witness who comes forward with information. On Friday morning, she said, one person did contact them.

“He Facebooked us,” Cunnigham said. “He said, ‘I don’t want the reward money, I want some of it to go to Litters ‘n Critters and there’s a personal charity,’ he said, that’s very close to his heart, where the rest of it is going to go.”

The Nova Scotia SPCA and the Cape Breton Regional Police are working together to investigate the case. Investigators did not confirm the information, saying only that the case remains an active investigation.

“It is an open file. We are working on it…collaboratively with the police and we’re hoping for a successful conclusion,” said David Ross, the chief provincial inspector with the Nova Scotia SPCA.

“We’re sharing information and we’re moving ahead, however, I’d like the public to know that the SPCA are the lead investigators in this case.”

Cunningham said she expects an update to be made public soon.