Six puppies bundled in a bag saved moments before being thrown off a grass verge
'If we'd have passed just seconds before, we would have been none the wiser.'
Six five-day-old puppies bundled in a carrier bag were mere moments away from death when rescued by police.
Their cries were heard by Durham Police officers Liam Vernon and Luke Howie who grew suspicious of a parked car along the A689 early last Saturday.
As they spun their police car around to check on the driver, they saw a man swinging a sealed bag on the edge of a grassy bank near Bishop Auckland.
The officers switched on the siren only for the driver, 50, to throw the bag into his car and allegedly pretend to inspect one of his car tyres.
But the police heard squealing coming inside the man’s car – only to find the very bag he’d been swinging only moments before tossed on the front seat.
Untying the bag, the police discovered the faces of six cocker spaniel puppies looking back at them – they were so young they hadn’t opened their eyes yet.
The driver was questioned at the roadside as officers looked after the pups and arranged for them to be taken to a local vet for treatment.
The man was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty, money laundering and trafficking in a controlled drug. He has since been released on bail amid a police investigation.
Officers searched the man’s home and rescued the puppies’ parents who have since been reunited with their babies.
Both parents and their litter are now receiving treatment and are expected to make a recovery.
PC Vernon said: ‘The puppies were riddled with fleas and if we’d have passed just seconds before, we would have been none the wiser.
‘Both myself and Luke are huge dog lovers, so it has been one of those jobs which has really stuck with us.
‘We’ve hardly stopped thinking about it but are just glad to have saved them – it really was right place, right time.’
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