Sadly one passed away but the litter is still one of the largest ever recorded.
Mary, who’s from the small Irish village of Crecora in Limerick, Ireland said: ‘The neutering appointment was cancelled during lockdown as it was not considered urgent. ‘We tried keeping Bella and Archie apart, we tried nappies, Vick’s VapoRub and we separated them for a couple of days.
‘It wasn’t to be though.’
The litter began arriving at the Killing family home late on July 25 and finally ended with the 16th pup in the early hours of July 26.It’s understood to be the largest ever delivered in Ireland, with eight boys and eight girls arriving in just a few hours. Mary said: ‘I was in absolute shock. The vet had told us she was going to have eight to ten puppies.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Forty-five percent of pet owners say they occasionally (or frequently) buy presents for their animals.
‘So having 15 was quite phenomenal. It’s a record I think.’
She then moved the pup on to a large duvet to deliver the rest.
Mary said: ‘We had to get a suitcase the following morning to put them into to count them as they were wriggling all over the place.
‘It was just phenomenal. We were in awe.’
She said: ‘It’s been tough, it’s been hard work.’
The family are keeping one of the litter, first-born Walter – named by 11-year-old Isaac after Where’s Wally because he kept hiding. The rest of the pups are going to family and friends, including one to her eldest son Josh, 24.Make sure your pet is in good company. Pets get lonely and depressed just like people do when they spend too much time alone. Cats are generally better on their own, but dogs and especially puppies don’t do well left to their own devices for extended periods of time.
They’re all due to go to their new homes this weekend and Mary decided not to charge for the dogs, saying she just wants them to be loved and treated like a member of the family.
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