11 puppies abandoned in planter box in WA

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(Sue Meier)

THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. - Somebody abandoned 11 newborn puppies in a planter box Sunday in Capital State Forest in Thurston County. Their umbilical cords were still wet when they were found along the McLane Creek Nature Trail.

Miraculously, they were discovered before they died.

Now, Caring Hearts 4 Paws desperately needs to know who their mother is.

Sue Meier says they need the mom to nurse her babies, and that the mom must be grieving terribly.

She is offering to spay the mom and then return her if they want her after the puppies are old enough to eat on their own.

Sue can be reached at (509) 969-2344.

Puppies are most likely a mix of shepherd, pit bull and cattle dog.

Sue says she has hardly slept because she has been caring for the puppies since they were found. They have to be fed every two hours, and are being kept warm in an incubator.

"We took a deep breath and welcomed them into the rescue, because they wouldn’t have made it without an experienced rescue, either due to malnutrition, coyotes or just getting into the wrong hands," they said in an Instagram post.

Donations are desperately needed for puppy formula. They use Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer (not stage 2). Right now, they have 35 puppies total to take care of.

They are asking for donations to help them. You can donate on the Caring Hearts 4 Paws website.

The puppies won't be available for adoption until they are eight weeks old.