A dog and her litter of 11 puppies rescued from beneath a Whakatāne property are looking for forever homes.

Ruby and her puppies, who are all named after New Zealand rugby’s biggest stars, were brought into the care of SPCA Whakatāne after a home owner contacted staff for advice when she discovered the dog had given birth under her house.

SPCA animal attendant Gemma Cahill said an animal ambulance was sent to collect the family.

“Ruby was thin and had fleas and worms,” Cahill said.

“The puppies were feeding from Ruby and she was doing a great job of keeping them fed despite being underweight herself.”

Cahill said calls involving a mother dog and puppies were rare for the Whakatāne centre.

“We often get mother cats who give birth in strange places, but this is the first call we have had to collect a mum and pups.”

Ruby and her litter have recovered well and are available for adoption, with three of the 11 puppies already finding homes.

The pups, named after All Blacks and Black Ferns players, include Beauden, Jordie, Richie, Jonah, Portia and Maddison.

Cahill said staff members who are fans of the national teams chose rugby as a naming inspiration.

“With the All Blacks’ recent win we thought it would be the perfect theme.”

Ruby and her puppies. Photo / SPCA

The story has also caught the attention of New Zealand rugby supporters, with Ruby and her pups featured on the All Blacks NZ Facebook page.

Adding to the family’s uniqueness, three of the puppies inherited Ruby’s naturally short tail.

Cahill said staff believed Ruby was an Australian cattle dog mix, a breed known for carrying the dominant gene responsible for a natural bobtail.

The Whakatāne SPCA cared for 496 incoming animals between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, highlighting the ongoing need for support and adoption opportunities throughout the region.

Anyone interested in adopting Ruby or one of her puppies can contact the SPCA for more information.