Dumping a litter of five-week-old puppies in a rubbish bin on a hot day was an act of unbelievable cruelty, the SPCA in Otago says.
SPCA inspector Helen Saunders said nine mastiff-cross puppies were found in the bin near Clyde dam in Alexandra.
The people who discovered the dogs took them to the vet and the animals are now with the SPCA.
Ms Saunders told Radio New Zealand's Kiwi Summer programme that nothing found in the bin has given a clue to who dumped the puppies and she is appealing to the public for information.
She said any calls to the Otago SPCA will be treated confidentially.
