What’s better than one dog in an airport? Eight puppies born in an airport, that’s what.
If you agree, well, today’s your lucky day because a service dog, named Eleanor Rigby, has just delivered. Literally.
The lab – known to pals as Ellie – was traveling home with her owner, Diane Van Atter, and her puppy daddy, Golden Nugget, when she went into labor at Tampa International airport.
Ellie was waiting to board a flight to Philadelphia at Gate F80 on the evening of Friday 25 May, but her eight pups just couldn’t wait to meet their mum and dad – and their human.
Lukcily, paramedics from Tampa Fire Rescue were on site to help the two-year-old mother deliver eight puppies – seven Very Good Boys and one Very Good Girl.
Kristin Hamilton was there to witness the eight little miracles:
Hamilton took a few snaps and shared them online, writing:
A Service Dog named Ellie, short for Eleanor Rigby caused quite a stir at Tampa airport yesterday.
The 2-year-old yellow lab went into labor [sic] before boarding a plane to Philadelphia.
Tampa Fire Rescue delivered 7 puppies; 6 girls and 1 boy. Congratulations to the new mom and safe travels.
The airport spokeswoman, Emily Nipps, told the Tampa Bay Times.
I’ve never seen anything like this in an airport, or otherwise.
Onlookers who were taking a load off at the airport’s Gasparilla Bar watched on as eight tiny best friends to Man entered this world.
They missed the flight, and for the next three hours, created a fuzzy spectacle as crowds gathered with phones trying to capture the scene.
They even had their first dinner right there on the airpot carpet.
A Hodge Defence employee shared his views to Instagram, saying he was:
…minding my own business, sitting in the terminal at my gate, and this proud Momma decided to have her babies at the Tamp International Airport, gate F80!
He wasn’t the only guy watching over proceedings.
Nope, Ellie’s main man, Golden Nugget was right by her side throughout the whole birth.
Golden Nugget, who’s also a service dog, seemed almost as nervous as the mother, according to a video posted by another passenger.
Jenny Trisher Best shared their special moment:
She also wrote:
Happy Birthday puppies! Born today at Tampa International Airport!
Have you ever seen something so wonderful and pure? Here’s some more dog joy for you:
Van Atter said she has mobility and pain issues, Nipps said, and the dogs were service dogs, though Eleanor Rigby was still in training.
Service dogs are a particularly special kind of animal.
Meet Judd, the service dog in training for the best smile in the world:
Van Atter’s stepmother, Karen James, of Bradenton, was also set to fly to Philadelphia, reports the Tampa Bay Times.
She said they knew Eleanor Rigby was pregnant, but believed the excitement of being in the airport around so many new people may have triggered the early birth.
And what a birth is was! Congrats Ellie.
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A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.