The tiny puppy that survived abandonment, extreme heat conditions and dehydration has a been given a name: Lucky.

Lucky and five of her siblings were tossed into a garbage bag and abandoned in a ditch near Aylmer on Wednesday. Fortunately for the pups, a family out for an evening stroll stumbled across the bag. Wrapping the newborns in a baby blanket, they rushed them to the Western Quebec Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

It was too late for two of the puppies, but Lucky and three of her litter mates survived. Now, they're living with a foster family in Aylmer.

The pups' plight has sparked outrage among animal rights advocates.

"This is just negligence, this is beyond abuse," said Jennifer Montague, of the Western Quebec SPCA. "You don't just take puppies -- or any dog -- and put them in a bag at the side of the road."

Tucked between layers of white blankets and warmed by a towel-wrapped heating pad, the four survivors alternate between huddling together, eyes closed, and making cautious explorations of their new home.

It's a little too early too tell, but the foster family believes the pups may be a mix of Labrador and German shepherd. The smallest one, Lucky, is about the size of a hamster. The biggest, Maxi, is about twice her size.

"The little one is still pretty scrawny. I'm spending some extra time with her getting her to eat," foster mother Beverley Brennan said. "All things considered, they are doing well and feeding well."

To keep the puppies healthy, Ms. Brennan hand-feeds them every three hours and changes their blankets regularly.

"I hope they'll continue to thrive and be adopted into good homes," said Ms. Brennan.

Ms. Montague said the puppies' plight highlights the importance for owners to have their pets spayed or neutered.

"We have a surplus of puppies because because people don't spay and neuter their pets and then panic when they have a litter," she said.

For now, Lucky and her siblings are too fragile to be put up for adoption. However, Ms. Montague said they may be looking for permanent homes in the coming months.