Newborn puppies picked up by DDR from Detroit Animal Control

DETROIT - The battle continues to save the dogs living inside the Detroit Animal Control facility.

FOX 2 first spotted newborn puppies Monday left helpless with their mother on a cement floor next to feces and prone to disease. Tuesday DAC Director Harry Ward showed he had given them a blanket.

"The dogs coming in off the street, we don't select who is coming in," Ward said at the time. "They are all suffering from the life they've led up to this point."

And now Thursday after days of urging city officials, Kristina Rinaldi of the Detroit Dog Rescue, has negotiated the release of the puppies.

"They all look like they need IVs," Rinaldi said. "They're filthy, they all have little coughs, they've had a rough time their eyes aren't even open yet, they're brand-new."

The pit bull mix puppies and mother are being rushed to a veterinarian for emergency care vaccinations. Then they will go to the DDR, Metro Detroit's only no-kill dog shelter.

Rinaldi hopes the puppies still have a shot at survival.

"I'm just thrilled to have them out and in our care," she said. "We are going to do everything we have to do for these guys."

Parvovirus is just one highly contagious and common canine diseases, the puppies could have. Also known as Parvo, the disease causes dog to slowly, internally bleed to death.

"We really need more rescues, more people to step up and take these dogs out of there," Rinaldi said. "The Detroit dog rescue in just the last few days has taken 17 dogs."

It is common practice at the DAC for the dogs to not be vaccinated before having contact with other dogs, with only one vet on staff who works 32 hours per week.

"They come in and we care for them," Ward said in a previous interview. "Is the dog that came in a half hour ago vaccinated, no. Is he developing a disease? Could be."

Unlike countless other puppies, which have died at the DAC from disease, these puppies, have been given new hope.

The Detroit Dog Rescue has been overwhelmed with medical expenses getting the dogs back to health. If you would like to help, there is a GoFundMe page.

UPDATE (8 p.m.): Rinaldi contacted FOX 2's Hannah Saunders with the conditions of the rescued dogs. 

In an email, she wrote: "They have some respiratory infections, but mom gave everything she had to keep them plump. They're dehydrated (and have) a couple eye infections. Mom is worse off, emaciated, dehydrated, fever and waiting on blood work. She can barely move. Imagine having the worst flu but is still caring for her babies. She's a trooper.

"This isn't acceptable and the city needs to do something fast."