Fergie the shih tzu who survived squalid breeding den with 96 other dogs has litter of five puppies

A shih tzu dog has defied all odds and gave birth to a healthy litter of puppies after being rescued from a filthy breeding ground – home to the ‘worst conditions imaginable’.

Fergie the shih tzu was one of 96 dogs found by shocked RSPCA agents in appalling conditions in an extremely overcrowded home.

The dog, which had been used as a ‘breeding machine’ by her owner, was heavily pregnant but suffering from severe malnutrition with tangled hair covered in fleas.

Now Fergie has given birth to five puppies at the Gables Cats and Dogs Home animal shelter in Plymouth, Devon.

The seven-year-old mother is still recovering – a month after the massive rescue mission.

Claire Sparkes, manager at Gables Cats and Dogs Home, said: “When Fergie came to us, she was very depressed and scared.

‘She was in a terrible condition. She was infested with fleas and had a dreadlock in her own mess.

‘She was very thin. Her spine was visible, but she had a big belly, so it was obvious she was pregnant.

Fergie has probably had hundreds of puppies in her life. She was actually just used as a breeding machine.

“We were concerned about the puppies’ condition as her poor nutrition could be passed on to them, but so far they are doing well.

“They’re fed by mom, so they get that natural lactation behavior, but because she’s so malnourished, we’ve also started bottle feeding.”

The shih tzu puppies will not be rehomed until they are about 12 weeks old but there is no shortage of new owners for them.

The animal shelter last month took in 23 of the 96 dogs rescued from the squalid home in Torquay, Devon.

Many of the dogs were covered in their own feces and suffered from ammonia burns.

Ms Sparkes said the house where they were found was in the worst conditions she had ever seen.

They gave the dogs flea and worm treatments before starting the difficult task of removing their matted fur.

All rescue dogs recover well from their ordeal and enjoy simple activities such as running around outside for the first time in their lives.

Mrs Sparkes said: ‘These were the worst conditions imaginable – fleas jumping everywhere and the smell of ammonia took your breath away and burned your eyes.

“Their hair was just dreadlocked. They all had to be shaved to the skin because the mats were so tight and made it difficult for them to move.

“When we first got them, I think they were just shocked. Some were more scared than others, many adults will need more time to recover because they are so scared and traumatized.

“They’ve never been outside, so when they first saw grass, they were so excited and just running in circles after each other.

“It was shocking and sad to see them, but now that they are safe and able to live a better life, it is so worth it. When you hear from families how well the dogs are doing in their new homes, it just gives you the best feeling.’

The shelter has set up a Just Giving page to raise £5,000 towards the dogs’ vet bills and care, with donations pouring in from supporters willing to help.

Claire added: ‘I want to remind people of the importance of checking where they get puppies from. If they’ve asked to see the parents or where the dogs live, breeders like this wouldn’t be able to continue. Doing research is so important.’