Airports are one of the busiest places around the world, with marvelous sights and unexpected incidences. People from all walks of life are busy preparing to travel to their destinations in these 24/7 worldwide terminals. However, travelers at Tampa International Airport were in for an unexpected unique incident.
In May 2018, passengers at the boarding gate witnessed an incredible experience. A female service dog suddenly went into labor and gave birth to puppies. As the passengers were waiting to board their plane at Gate F80, service dog Eleanor Rigby, or Ellie, became a mother to cute puppies for all to witness.
Beautiful 2-year-old Ellie, a Golden Labrador, was accompanied by her partner, another Golden Labrador named Golden Nugget, and their owner, Diane Van Atter. The pregnant mother dog suddenly went into labor, much to everyone’s surprise. Gate F80, which was usually filled with travelers waiting while preoccupied with their mobile phones or passengers hurrying to board their plane, was suddenly packed with onlookers captivated by the marvelous scene happening in front of them.
The passengers seemed to be diverted away from their pre-flight activities and engrossed in the situation as Ellie started givi ng birth to her puppies. They were fascinated by the miraculous incident before them. A passenger, who arrived while Ellie was giving birth to puppy number 5, shared the wonderful experience on her social media page. She said, “I was here since puppy five. It’s on Instagram. We’re getting a lot of likes!”
Another passenger was captivated by the magical moment at Gate F80. “A Service Dog named Ellie, short for Eleanor Rigby, caused quite a stir at Tampa airport yesterday,” Kristin Hamilton shared. “The two-year-old yellow lab went into labor before boarding a plane to Philadelphia. Tampa Fire Rescue delivered seven puppies – 6 girls and one boy. Congratulations to the new mom, and safe travels.”
A few hours have passed, and Ellie has given birth to 8 golden puppies – 7 males and 1 female. The Tampa Fire and Rescue team was at the scene for assistance and ensured safety. The team monitored Ellie’s health and made sure everything went smoothly during the 3-hour process. After Ellie had given birth to her last puppy, all the babies were declared with a clean bill of health.
“They have our names, of course! And, of course, the last one’s Natalie. It’s a girl!” Paramedic Natalie Brown happi ly shared with Fox News 13. Her colleague, Larry Glanton, who was also present during the marvelous incident added, “And Number two is Larry.”
Ellie, Golden Nugget, and their owner, Diane, missed their flight. Additionally, their airline had rules that did not allow animals below 2 days old to travel. They had to wait for 2 weeks to pass before they could travel again. Hence, Diane had no choice but to rent a car and return home to Pennsylvania until then.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Diane had the best companions on her way back home – 10 incredibly cute dogs and their parents! A video of the miraculous moment was shared online, and it instantly went viral. Netizens were quick to react and leave heartwarming comments.
One social media user said, “What an example of the diversion… joyful!… of witnessing the miracle of… birth!”
The touching story of Ellie bringing a bundle of joy into this world inside an airport terminal is a testament to wonderful moments that can unexpectedly happen to surprise us all!
▼ Here is the video of the marvelous spectacle at Tampa International Airport’s Gate F80:
Images credits: © Hodge @hodgedefense/Instagram, Tampa International Airport/Facebook, Kristin Hamilton @kristinhamiltonslr/Instagram, and Tampa International Airport @FlyTPA/Twitter
Video credits: © Tampa International Airport/Facebook Watch
