TAMPA, Fla. -- A service dog gave birth to eight puppies at Tampa International Airport on Friday.

  • Service dog gives birth to 8 puppies at Tampa airport
  • Ellie, a yellow lab, went into labor while waiting for a flight
  • She gave birth to 7 males and 1 female

A yellow lab named Eleanor “Ellie” Rigby and her owners were getting ready to board a flight when she went into labor.

The 2-year-old dog gave birth to seven male puppies and one female puppy, according to Tampa Fire Rescue. 

Paramedics were at the airport and assisted with the delivery. 

The puppies’ father, a service dog named Nugget, was among the onlookers at the airport.

It was a "ruff day for this mama at Gate F80," Tampa International Airport posted on Twitter.