Once near death, a litter of 11 golden retrievers who were nursed back to health in September by surrogates when their mother died giving birth are up for adoption in Victoria, B.C.
During a visit this week with CTV News, the puppies chased each other in a yard, rolled around in leaves and climbed stairs. One tumbled headfirst into a Halloween jack-鈥榦-lantern.
The said they are 鈥渆xtremely happy and healthy鈥� and ready for adoption. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very healthy, very social. They鈥檒l be really great family dogs,鈥� said Penny Stone. Since the group have been caring for the puppies since such a young age, the puppy siblings have been 鈥渧ery well socialized鈥� and 鈥渆xposed to everything.鈥�
But the puppies -- collectively called -- didn鈥檛 start their lives out so confidently. 鈥淲e had a little bit of a crisis when they were first born,鈥� said Stone. 鈥淲e were worried we wouldn鈥檛 be able to keep them alive.鈥�
In September, the for dog owners with new mothers to help nurse a group of 20 puppies, including the 11 goldens. The rescue organization had a pregnant and distressed Bernese mountain dog in their care who gave birth to nine puppies of her own before another pregnant dog in distress arrived at the humane society. The Golden Litter鈥檚 mother died giving birth and the Bernese litter鈥檚 mother was quickly nursing 20 puppies.
Nearly two months later, the puppies are healthy and up for adoption, but the demand has been overwhelming. Before they were even officially ready for adoption, the Human Society had received hundreds of inquiries and they expect hundreds of applications for adoption.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island
