MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – It was not your average doggy childbirth. A dog gave birth to 13 puppies in a delivery that started just before sunrise and went on for hours. By early afternoon, Copenhagen’s Star Hunter, “Star” to the family, lay surrounded by her 13 offspring. Giggling and gently cradling a squirming pup, 7-year-old Rebecca Faught proudly proclaimed, “Star just kept having more and more and more.” Rebecca’s parents, Tad and Lori, let her skip school Wednesday. Instead, the child got a hands-on science lesson - watching and helping the family’s AKC registered yellow labrador give birth. Resting in her makeshift maternity ward in the laundry room, “Star” kept a close watch over the pups - five black and eight yellow. Labradors are noted for having large litters, according to veterinarian Jeffrey Cornick of Pioneer Animal Hospital, so "13 is a lot, but not extremely rare."
—OK, I know it’s a slow news day. War . . . Bombings . . . Celebs in court for murder and child-schtupping. . . Thank goodness the folks at the AP are on duty, though, or we might have missed this epoch-making story about a dog, ummm, having a not-too-unsual number of puppies.
My aunt’s chihuahua mated with a shepard mix and had One. Big. Puppy. Far more interesting than 13 labs, although I do love their little faces and puppy tummies.
You know those AP stringers from bumfuck Iowa have to earn their (extremely) meager check doing something. It’s like covering high school sports…someone’s got to do it and I’m glad it’s not me!
But whoever the hell decided to actually run the story deserves a good healthy dose of headsmacking.
My dog was one of 14 puppies; amazingly, they all lived. When we went and got her, the guys had nine left, and they were desperate. “Dude, we’ll give you some beer if you’ll take two of them!”