An SF whale watching boat tour took an unexpected direction Sunday morning, as the boat’s resident German shepherd suddenly went into labor and produced seven little puppies as the boat was setting sail.
If you took a ride on a San Francisco Whale Tours boat, you would expect to see whales, orcas, or maybe the occasional sea lion. But riders on a Sunday morning tour aboard the San Francisco Whale Tours boat “Kitty Kat” got a very different and unexpected animal encounter, as KTVU reports that one of the boat’s resident German shepherds Sam abruptly went into labor, and gave birth to seven puppies as the ship was about to set sail from Pier 39.
"Sam had not had puppies prior, so this was an experience for her,” the boat’s captain Joe Nazar told KTVU. “I won't say it was easy. But she is very, very smart, and she worked through it and her maternal instincts are incredible, so she'll be an amazing mom.”
Both Sam, whom Nazar had rescued a year ago, and her male companion Bear, the proud father of the puppies, typically ride aboard the boat. Both dogs are German shepherds, and now they’re the parents of seven newborn German shepherd puppies.
The labor started Sunday morning at around 9:30 just as the boat was about to set sail from Pier 39. And even SFPD got involved, as Officer Sean Padilla with the department’s marine unit arrived on the scene to help with the delivery.
For his efforts, Officer Padilla will get his pick of the litter of puppies. Other puppies have been promised to Nazar’s friends.
Nazar says he knew Sam was pregnant, though did not expect her to have these puppies as soon as she did.
But if you want to take a whale watching board ride with these German shepherd puppies, unfortunately, that will not be an option. The father Bear will continue taking the boat rides, but the mother Sam and the puppies will be staying at Nazar’s North Bay home for the foreseeable future.
Related: Box of Puppies Found in Stolen Vehicle at Coliseum BART Station Parking Lot [SFist]
Image: San Francisco Whale Tours
