6 puppies found in Merced dumpster are recovering in S.F.

Six Border Collie puppies were found in a Merced trash bin last week. They are recovering in San Francisco. Six Border Collie puppies were found in a Merced trash bin last week. They are recovering in San Francisco. Photo: San Francisco SPCA / San Francisco SPCA Photo: San Francisco SPCA / San Francisco SPCA Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close 6 puppies found in Merced dumpster are recovering in S.F. 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

Six border collie puppies from the same litter abandoned in a Merced trash bin are recovering in the veterinary offices of the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, officials said Monday.

A hair salon worker was taking out the trash last week when she saw something moving inside a trash bag, said Krista Maloney, an SPCA spokeswoman. When the woman untied the bag, she found six puppies, which veterinarians later determined were about 4 months old.

“It’s incredibly cruel,” Maloney said. “There are so many alternatives, and it’s never excusable.”

Though vets haven’t completed the puppies’ medical evaluations, they appear to be healthy, Maloney said. The agency is asking for donations to cover the costs of vaccines and other expenses.

The SPCA will be looking to find the puppies homes once they are spayed or neutered and given their vaccines, Maloney said.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov