Taking care of puppies may appear to be the best job in the world, but it’s not always.
BEDR has a total of 30 puppies plus additional adult dogs through multiple foster homes in southern Saskatchewan.
Peggy Martin McGuire, with Bright Eyes Dog Rescue (BEDR) in Regina, said a team of volunteers including Melissa Hilt and herself have been taking shifts sleeping in order to take care of pre-mature pupies.
A minimum of three BEDR workers per night care for two, two-week-old puppies who were born pre-maturely. The animals needed intravenous (IV) fluids and to be bottle-fed by hand.
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“There were nine puppies in this litter, and seven of them passed away.”At two-weeks-old and weighing only 700g, the puppies are beginning to open their eyes.
Their mother wasn’t healthy enough to feed them all, which hurt the litter’s chance of survival.
McGuire said there are a number of reasons why pregnant dogs come into the care of BEDR and other local rescues. Some are abandoned, particularly in rural areas and others have been brought out of hoarding situations.
But most often, according to McGuire, a family will surrender an animal due to the overwhelming financial and parental responsibilities.
However, she noted that unwanted pregnancies for pets are preventable — and pointed to the many humane societies across Canada that offer subsidized programs to prevent pet pregnancies.
Regina Humane Society operates Canada’s first mobile spay and neuter clinic.
The clinic is able to travel to rural areas, including reserves where there is little access to veterinary services.
After an application form is submitted, prices are significantly lower depending on income.
Lisa Koch, executive director of the Regina Humane Society, said there are many reasons to get your pet spayed or neutered.
“I think the most important reason is we have a big pet-over-population. We have way too many animals,” Koch said.
McGuire also warned that all dog owners need to sterilize as soon as possible.
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