"Yesterday is the first time she's stopped howling, other than that we've all been listening to her at the office here. It's been quite upsetting really," Tauranga SPCA inspector Jason Blair said.
The dog was seen by the public running up and down the road with her dead two-day-old puppies in her mouth, and with the shopping bag they were drowned in at Welcome Bay, Tauranga.
She was first heard by a member of the public howling about 1am, and at about 5.30am a young man got out of bed to see if he could help her because he thought she must have been stuck in the mangroves, Mr Blair said.
Another dog, thought to be the father, was also seen with the puppies.
Mr Blair said he knew where the dogs came from and had been speaking with the residents, but they denied knowing how the puppies drowned.
It was unlikely a stranger would have killed them, he said.
"They're only two days old so somebody's made the choice to get rid of them."
Mr Blair appealed for witnesses who may have seen anyone walking on Waitaha Rd or Welcome Bay Rd carrying a red, reusable shopping bag on Friday night or early on Saturday morning to contact the SPCA.
He hoped to take those responsible to court.
The mother, an American pitbull-cross, remained in the care of Tauranga SPCA.
Meanwhile, the reward money leading to a prosection against those who cut off pitbull puppy Trooper's ears has climbed to $1700 following an outpouring of public support.
Mr Blair said he had a tip-off on the case but did not yet have enough evidence to prosecute.
