Abandoned newborn puppies dumped with rubbish get VIP tour of Aston Villa training ground - See the adorable photos
A litter of six newborn puppies left to die in a bin bag have been given a VIP tour of Aston Villa's training ground after being nursed back to health by Birmingham Dogs Home.
The six female puppies were named after the Aston Villa women's team after being dumped with the rubbish close to Villa Park, within days of being born.
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They were nursed back to health and introduced to their namesakes following a surprise visit to Villa's training ground at Bodymoor Heath, near Tamworth.
Six rescue puppies surprised the Aston Villa Women’s First Team at their Tamworth training ground this week as part of a festive collaboration with Birmingham Dogs Home.
The six Staffordshire bull terrier-cross puppies were named Daly, after Rachel Daly,
They arrived wearing Aston Villa scarves embroidered with their names and immediately melted hearts across the squad.
The sleepy litter joined the players for a gentle 'first training session'. The squad gathered around the pups, introduced themselves to their puppy namesakes and scooped them up for pictures.
Even during simple drills, the playful pups curled up for naps in players’ arms.
After the activities, the full squad stepped outside for a brief group photo, each player holding one of the puppies.
The puppies were discovered in a refuse bag in Aston last month after a resident spotted movement.
The puppies were only a few days old and would not have survived without urgent care.
Birmingham Dogs Home took them in immediately and has been hand-rearing them around the clock.
Goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck, who met the puppy that shares her name, said: “This was such a lovely surprise, and it lifted the squad’s spirits.
"Knowing what these pups went through and seeing how safe and content they are now made me feel really emotional.
"Birmingham Dogs Home have given them an incredible level of care.
“Meeting my little namesake made my day, and I am planning to visit the centre soon to spend time with even more of the dogs."
Ellie said she hoped the experience would encourage people to support Birmingham Dogs Home and help more dogs find the loving homes they deserved.
The puppies are expected to become available for adoption from early December once they are fully weaned, vaccinated and healthy.
The charity hopes its festive 'Pup Academy' campaign will encourage people to support the dogs' home.
People can support these puppies and other dogs in need by donating, sharing Birmingham Dogs Home’s message, visiting its centres in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, or considering adoption.
