Moore County animal control officers rescued nine dogs from an abandoned house Wednesday and were searching for a tenth.

Al Carter, county director of animal control, said eight of the dogs were puppies younger than one week. Carter’s officers set a trap Thursday for the mother dog, which he said they believe is in the area.

Members of the Pinecrest High School cross country team discovered the dogs trapped beneath the abandoned and demolished property on a training run Tuesday afternoon, Carter said.

Employees of the county’s public works department used a backhoe to remove debris in order to reach the dogs.

Carter said the dogs were being cared for at the county animal shelter.