A cattle-mix dog and her six two-week old puppies were recently rescued by a Vancouver Island BC SPCA animal protection officer.
The initial call came from the owner of the animals, who contacted RCMP knowing they wouldn’t be able to properly care for them.
The mother and six puppies are now being cared for at the Victoria SPCA Animal Centre, and staff expressed gratitude for the owners actions.
“We are so thankful the owner of these dogs recognized that they could not care for them and asked for assistance,” says Eileen Drever, BC SPCA senior officer protection and shareholder relations.
“Taking care of a mom and her six puppies is a lot of work, ensuring they get everything they need to grow up to be healthy and well socialized dogs.”
The manager of Victoria’s SPCA, Emma Hamill, added that the puppies were in a delicate state when they first arrived, barely able to open their eyes, but they are otherwise healthy.
The mother, however, is said to be underweight. They’re working to get her weight up and improve her body condition score.
The puppies’ mother, whose name is Sweetie, quickly showed her affectionate side after overcoming initial nervousness. The BC SPCA says she has been showing great love to both her caregivers and her puppies.
The puppies are at the stage where their eyes are opening and they’re watching their mom interact with people.
“This will go a long way in making these puppies great companions when they are ready to be adopted,” explained Hamill.
Sweetie and her puppies will remain in BC SPCA care for at least six weeks. During this time, each puppy will receive vaccinations and undergo spay or neuter surgeries.
Hamill underlined the importance of this time, and the amount of work and energy that goes into caring for puppies at this stage to ensure they grow up healthy and socialized before adoption.
“This includes daily weight checks plus monitoring their hydration and appetite. Puppies this young are extremely vulnerable and need dedicated care.”
The SPCA is currently seeking a foster home to assist in providing the specialized care that these puppies require. If the puppies are not adopted by the time they reach eight weeks, they will need continued socializing and house training.
While puppies are typically adopted quickly, larger breeds like these may stay with the SPCA for a bit longer as the team works to find them the perfect homes.
If you’d like to support Sweetie and her puppies along this journey, consider making a donation, and/or staying tuned for fostering and adoption.
