A newborn baby abandoned by her parents in India survived a night out in the cold after a litter of puppies kept her warm.
The baby girl was discovered in a field in the Saristal village of Lormi in India’s Chhattisgarh province, nestled alongside the puppies, completely uninjured, by locals who heard her crying.
It is thought that the puppies’ mother initially found the baby – who was naked and still had her umbilical cord attached – and lay down alongside her.
Local representative Munnalal Patel said that a group heading out for daily chores had found the newborn.
A newborn girl was kept warm by a litter of puppies after she was abandoned in a field in India
It is thought that the puppies’ mother initially found the baby – who was naked and still had her umbilical cord attached – and lay down alongside her near the Saristal village of Lormi in India’s Chhattisgarh province
They said: ‘At 11 in the morning, we saw that there is a newborn baby girl who was crying and lying alongside puppies in our village.
‘We panicked and informed the health department before the newborn was taken to the hospital for further check-up’.
Another local, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘It’s possibly the warmth from puppies and their mother itself who had kept this new born alive.’
They added that it was ‘sheer luck’ that the girl, who has been named Akanksha, survived the night given how the temperature dips during the night – particularly at this time of year.
After Akanksha was discovered, a branch of local government known as the panchayat was contacted, who involved the police.
Officers arrived shortly after and transported the child to hospital so doctors could examine her condition.
The girl, who has since been named Akanksha, was transported the child to hospital so doctors could examine her condition
An investigation is now underway by police who are also searching to find the child’s parents
The Child Line Project has also been made aware of the child’s situation.
One local, Premnath, said it was a ‘miracle’ the baby had survived the night, because stray dogs can be vicious, he said.
They said: ‘They are not parents, they are criminals. It is a miracle only to find new born baby surviving when stray dogs are lurking every now and then at the dead of the night’.
An investigation is underway, and police are searching for the newborn’s parents.