Men’s dogged determination results in rescue of 9 puppies from badger set

Two men have been praised for spending four days rescuing nine puppies who were living underground in a badger set in a wooded area.

Philip O’Brien and Billy Murphy found the badger set in the top wood of Gerard Neville’s field in New Ross, Co Wexford, having spotted their mother, a two-year-old greyhound Collie cross lurcher, in the area.

Armed with dog food and a shovel, the dog lovers arrived on September 30 hoping to bring the puppies to safety. They feared the dogs would be killed by a fox.