It is not known if the puppies were alive or dead when they were placed in the bin bag

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Three dead puppies were found in a bin bag in a Tipton canal after construction workers noticed a suspicious package floating on the water.

The West Midlands Metro workers pulled the bag out and found three deceased puppies near Mission Drive on Monday, December 20.

The puppies were wrapped in white dishcloths, along with various plastic bags and a ‘Mamia’ nappy box, inside.

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RSPCA inspector Claire Davey collected the puppies and took them to the charity’s Birmingham Animal Hospital, where they were identified by a vet as two males and one female, thought to be no more than 24 hours old.

The vet said it wasn’t possible to tell whether the pups - thought to be Staffordshire Bull terriers - were alive or deceased when they had been put into the bag, although all three appeared to be healthy. The possibility that they may have been stillborn has not been ruled out.

Inspector Claire said: “It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see very young animals dumped like this in such a cold and heartless way; these tiny, vulnerable pups still had their umbilical cords attached - so they were extremely young, probably no more than 24 hours old.

“It’s not clear whether they died during birth, of natural causes, or if something more sinister has happened, which is why I’m very keen to establish exactly how they came to be found in these appalling circumstances. We are also very concerned about the welfare of their mum and any other litter mates.

“I’d also like to extend my thanks to the construction workers who very kindly called us and were understandably shocked and upset by what they found.

“Anyone with information about the puppies can contact the RSPCA’s inspectorate appeal line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018.”

Last December, the RSPCA received 51,000 calls - which amounts to one call every minute.

Claire added: “With our teams out on the frontline across England and Wales rescuing animals from danger and suffering 365 days a year, we are often their only hope. We’re asking people to Join the Rescue this Christmas to help bring animals to safety.”

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