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Pretty Girl, a busy mom, gets help in nursing 20 puppies

Pretty Girl, the Bernese mountain dog that had been nursing nine puppies of her own and 11 from a golden retriever that died in surgery, is back down to tending to her own litter after the Victoria Humane Society found two more nursing mothers to hel

Pretty Girl, the Bernese mountain dog that had been nursing nine puppies of her own and 11 from a golden retriever that died in surgery, is back down to tending to her own litter after the Victoria Humane Society found two more nursing mothers to help with the load. Caring for 20 puppies at once was quite a job for Pretty Girl. “We had the golden retrievers at one end and the Bernese mountain dog puppies,” said society executive director Penny Stone. “She would go between them, she would feed them, she’s a very good mom. It obviously wasn’t sustainable.”

The owners of two other dogs, whose pets are also nursing puppies, came forward in answer to an appeal from the society.

Stone said the owners agreed to add the orphaned pups to the litters being nursed by their dogs and the two mothers "have taken them on as their own." It's a relief for the society and for Pretty Girl. 

Stone said 20 puppies was too much for one dog but now "everything is going great."

Because the retrievers are only days old, Stone said it will be some time before they are ready for adoption.