Overview
- Good Samaritans discovered 17 puppies in the grassy area behind a Livermore Walmart on Wednesday, and one puppy was struck and killed by a car before rescuers transported the other 16 to East Bay SPCA shelters.
- East Bay SPCA performed emergency after-hours intake at its Dublin and Oakland campuses and found the puppies to be in overall good health while starting vaccinations, deworming, microchipping and spay/neuter scheduling.
- Shelter staff estimate the pups are 9–10 week old Border Collie mixes likely from two litters and say some could be ready for adoption in about a week after medical care and socialization work.
- The identity and motive of the person who left the dogs are unknown and the Livermore Police Department had not confirmed whether an investigation was underway as of the latest reports.
- The rescue highlights strain on local animal services — East Bay SPCA has a three-year contract with Livermore and admitted 731 animals from the city in the contract's first year — and volunteers warn rising spay/neuter costs can drive more abandonments.