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.

They contacted Wexford dog warden Johnny Colfer, who tied up the mother near the badger sets, but she got away. Mr Murphy said: “We didn’t know what to do. We tried to coax them out on Friday but they wouldn’t come out and went further underground.

“On Saturday we dug out the badger set but they escaped through different tunnels. You could only barely hear them barking underground. We managed to get seven of them out but there were two left who wouldn’t come near us. Philip and I looked after some of the pups at home and the Wexford Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (WSPCA) took the rest.”

Some of the rescued pups

When the pups emerged from the set their eyes were barely open. They had to be kept in darkness as they would become agitated in bright light.

Undaunted, the men kept digging and came up with the idea to get a cat cage from Mr Colfer.

“We put the cages way down into the hole and covered them in clay and flooring. Inside we placed cat food as they smell it more.”

The trap worked and they caught the eighth puppy on Monday night last at 10 p.m., having taken turns in a vigil watch all weekend.

The other dog came out on Tuesday morning. Two of the pups were named after their rescuers by the WSPCA in recognition of their tireless work. “One was a bitch so I don’t know how they will work that one out,” Mr Murphy said.

They still go down to see if any more pups are in the badger set. “You would always be afraid you would leave one behind or that the foxes would kill them.”

Mr Colfer said the mother and her black and white two-month-old puppies are doing remarkably well and are in the fullness of health.

Some of the rescued pups with their mother

“The mammy did a wonderful job and was scavaging around New Ross for food to keep her in milk. Billy and Philip did very well and we will be able to rehome them,”added Bridget Cullen of WSPCA.

“You would never believe the pups were living underground. The bitch is beautiful. She was spotted going along the ditch and followed to where her pups were. They are doing excellently. We will be able to rehome the mammy and a local woman is going to foster four of them.”