Service dog gives birth to 8 puppies at Florida airport gate

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A service dog waiting for a flight to Philadelphia with her owner gave birth at the Tampa airport as travelers gathered around and watched.

The Tampa Bay Times reports 2-year-old golden retriever Eleanor Rigby went into labor at Gate F-81 and birthed eight puppies — seven males and a female.

The new mom, owner Diane Van Atter and the puppies’ father, Golden Nugget, were waiting for a flight home Friday when the puppies started arriving one by one. Tampa Fire Rescue paramedics and a nurse assisted with the delivery.

Van Atter, the puppies and the parents missed the flight.

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Van Atter’s stepmother, Karen James of Bradenton, said they planned to get some rest and figure out how to drive the new litter back to Philadelphia.

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Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com.