Abandoned pups saved by County Derry woman after she found them in a ditch

Two puppies abandoned in a ditch in Garvagh are now in great demand at a dog shelter.

Glenullin woman Megan O’Kane discovered the German Shepherd pups on a road near Gortnamoyagh Forest on Easter Monday.

“It was at around 4pm, and I'd decided to go for a run after a long afternoon of eating Easter eggs! I found the two German Shepherd puppies in a little ditch by the side of the road, huddled together beside an upturned milk carton that had been cut in half, filled with water,” she said.

“They were in a bad way; they had matted fur, alopecia, they were very malnourished, and they had very bad legs, likely because they'd been kept in captivity and hadn't much experience walking. On top of that, they were covered in slugs. It had been raining the night before and they had definitely been in the ditch overnight.”

Megan took the puppies home and got them cleaned up and posted pictures online in an attempt to find a home for them.

“I posted online about my situation on Twitter and Instagram, and I couldn't believe the amount of people who came forward offering help. Within a few hours I'd already been in contact with Rainbow Rehoming, and the Dogs Trust,” she said.

“Everyone just fell in love with the pair of them, and it's no wonder why - they're total heartbreakers!”

The puppies, named Megan and Moe, were taken in by The Dog’s Trust Ballymena, who estimated that they were around seven or eight weeks old. They have now been checked over by a vet and should be ready to be rehomed within the next month.

Megan said that the pups have a fan club already and that The Dog’s Trust has been overwhelmed by the attention Megan and Moe are getting.

“They've gone from being two wee pups left for dead in a ditch, to being local celebrities! People are queuing up for them. I only hope that whoever abandoned them can see how well they're doing now, and regret not giving them a chance,” she said.

She said that she hadn’t heard of many animals being abandoned in the Glenullin area in recent years, but said that she also found a kitten at the roadside in August. She urged locals to keep an eye out for people who may be abandoning animals.

“I really don't know where they came from or who might've abandoned them, but I want to find out. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for people around that area selling German Shepherds in the future,” she said.

“It’s also really important to support your local animal charities! The smallest donation goes a long way.”