Rescue pups reunited with litter mates for 1st birthday party

There was joyful playing, an abundance of noise and a decorated cake. It was just like most kiddie birthday parties, but these celebrants were furry and had four legs.

In December 2014, Nicole Horabik, assistant director of North Carolina’s Cause For Paws, took in Zora, a pregnant dog from a rural shelter. Two weeks later, Zora had 11 puppies. Horabik kept the puppies for 8 weeks before adopting them out to local families.

The dogs’ adoptive parents stayed in touch, and nearly a year later, eight of the litter mates gathered for a birthday party at the Lap It Up indoor dog park in Durham.

The four-legged siblings ran through tunnels, fetched balls and chased one another. There was a group photo and puppy-safe cake from Oliver’s Collar Dog Treat Bakery & Boutique.

The puppies’ “parents” stood by and watched, occasionally correcting some bad behavior, but all the while talking about their babies with love and pride – just like at most birthday parties.

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Rescue pups reunited with litter mates for 1st birthday party."