Family's joy as Dalmation dog gives birth to eighteen puppies
Last updated 1/9/2009 5:32:44 PM
Dalmation dog gives birth to eighteen puppies
A three year old Dalmation dog is giving the Disney classic 101 Dalmations a run for its money - by giving birth to a brood of eighteen puppies.
Three-year-old Button's maternal achievement is keeping her owners, the Morley family in Leicestershire, on their toes. They have had to come up with a round the clock rota to cope with the new arrivals.
Bizarrely, Button is the daughter of one of the dogs that starred in Disney's 101 Dalmatians remake. It's not the first time she has delivered a surprise - she gave birth to 16 puppies just over a year ago.
Chine House Veterinary Hospital, where the puppies were born by Caesarian, said Button's litter was the largest it had ever delivered.
"The real miracle is that they've survived this long because it's so hard to rear that many pups," said vet Con Hassett.
The British Dalmatian Club said a litter of eighteen was very rare. The average litter is about eight or nine.The Morleys said they would keep just one of the new puppies but homes for the others have already been arranged.