Ten puppies that were thrown away and left to die in a dumpster were reunited last week, a little over a year after they were found.

Eight of the 10 dumpster pups and their families gathered in a Manhattan park to celebrate the lives of the dogs that went from unwanted offspring to cherished family pets.

Last Saturday as rain fell in Manhattan, Spirit, Gracie, Rudie and the other puppies ran and played. They jumped on each other and rubbed up against the people who gathered to celebrate the 10 lives that were rescued.

At the center of the pack was Diana Stafford, the woman responsible for caring for the pups and making sure their new homes were ones where the dogs would be loved. Stafford runs Tiny Tails K-9 Rescue in Manhattan.

After the puppies were rescued from the dumpster, they were taken to Helena, where Tiny Tails volunteers were waiting to feed them. They then went to foster homes in Manhattan and Whitehall. When they were ready, permanent homes were carefully chosen by Stafford.

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