Five puppies have been named after top golfers

A litter of malnourished puppies found dumped in a bag in Broughshane, and brought back to full health at Dogs Trust Ballymena, have been named after top golfers who will play in The Open in Portrush this week.

The six crossbreed pups were found in a tied carrier bag at a local dog walking spot last month. One of the underweight pups had broken free from the bag and was found

wandering, which alerted a dog walker to the terrifying plight of his trapped siblings.

The dog walker called the team at Dogs Trust Ballymena, who attended to rescue the six male puppies. The adorable puppies were taken to the rehoming centre for vet treatment,

where all were found to be underweight and hungry.

After weeks of being showered with love, care and attention, the 10-week-old collie cross puppies are available for rehoming. One pup has already found his forever home, while Rory (named after Rory Mcllroy), Padraig (after Padraig Harrington), Shane (after Shane Lowry), Tom (after Tom McKibbon) and Justin (after Justin Rose) hope they will soon hit a hole in one and find their one.

Sarah Park, Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Ballymena, said: “It is truly shocking that these beautiful boys were discarded in a bag like rubbish. Thank goodness they were found when they were, or the outcome could have been very different. They are now a healthy weight and sweet, playful puppies that are increasing in confidence every day.”

“With golf fever hitting Northern Ireland this week with The Open in Portrush, we thought it would be lovely to give them inspiring names as we know they will go on to achieve great things in life. Rory, Padraig, Shane, Tom and Justin have bright futures ahead and we can’t wait to celebrate their Claret Jug-winning moment when they find their forever homes.”

The perfect pups are looking for supportive families happy to help with training and socialisation. They could live with children and other pets. Homes with enclosed gardens would be ideal for their housetraining and where they can enjoy playtime.

To see all the dogs available for adoption at Dogs Trust Ballymena visit:

www.dogstrust.org.uk/ballymena