A litter of puppies still dragging their umbilical cords were dumped in a skip at Għadira Bay shortly after their stray mother gave birth last Wednesday.

Having been informed of the puppies by a passer-by, Noah's Ark, a nearby animal sanctuary, immediately informed the Animal Welfare Department. A department spokesman explained that the rescuers tried to locate the litter's mother to ensure its survival.

The puppies were retrieved from the skip and placed on bedding under a tree, where a dog was soon observed sniffing them out. Realising that it was the mother, she was left to care for her puppies by the rescuers, who left the scene.