Upstream | December 21, 2010 | 11 comments

Selfish Human Allows Dog to Get Pregnant Again | Mama Dog Births 17 Puppies

source: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/dog-gives-birth-to-17-puppies-20101221-193ev.html

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EthicalVegan
Dog gives birth to 17 puppies
December 21, 2010




A dog in Germany has given birth to 17 puppies, leaving their owner thrilled but fatigued after having to feed them with a bottle for several weeks because their mother couldn't cope with the demand.

Owner Ramona Wegemann said she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an "exhausting" struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.

She said when she was "finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again".


Wegemann's dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on September 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.

At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother's nipples could never have coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said.

Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. "But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful," the 32-year-old added.

It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not uncommon for the dog's breed, Wegemann said.

"The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no caesarean was necessary," she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies - and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.

But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on hold and her husband took as much holiday as he could.

Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.

But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females puppies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.

Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog.


AP

Nine Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies from a litter of 17 look out of their box Photo: AP
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11 comments // Selfish Human Allows Dog to Get Pregnant Again | Mama Dog Births 17 Puppies

  • littlwarrior
    • 0
      littlwarrior  

    • So the dog has had two litters. They are cute dogs. Should she have adopted yes, but think of it this way, if we spay and neuter all the dogs and cats their wont be anymore. And I love my Pitt bull, she is just the sweetest thing and I couldn't live without her. If her mom was spayed i would never have got her.

    • 1 year ago
  • EthicalVegan
    • 0
      EthicalVegan  
    • littlwarrior:

      That's such a ridiculous statement... one which I hear nearly ever single day in my animal rescue involvement. You know bloody well that no one but no one will ever, ever be able to spay/neuter EVERY single dog and cat. So what's the nonsensical worry?

    • 1 year ago
  • littlwarrior
    • 0
      littlwarrior  
    • EthicalVegan:

      Its just something I have thought about, so many people are so determined that everyone should spay or neuter their pets, and yes my dog is spayed because right now I do feel that is the responsible thing to do for both me and her. But what happens when one day the success starts building, and somebody passes a law or something and some way some how the process is made efficient? then no more puppies, I just think that sometimes it is healthy to temper our zeal, because things could get out of hand. I'm not saying they will, but in this world you just never know what could really happen.

    • 1 year ago
  • EthicalVegan
    • 0
      EthicalVegan  
    • littlwarrior:

      It can't/won't happen, believe me. The numbers are too great. Totally impossible. I work in rescue, and realize the impossibility of that ever happening.

      In truth, though, it's sad that humans began the process of domesticating dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, etc. [And, yes, I agree that those of us who truly love our rescued animal companions will provide such beings with the very best lives possible.]

      Sorry I jumped on you yesterday.

    • 1 year ago
  • DisownCashValue
  • floydyboy
  • EthicalVegan
    • +2
      EthicalVegan  

    • I am so pissed off at this woman, this selfish, greedy woman, this woman who "owns" her dog.

      Throughout the world, we have a horrible overpopulation of dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals. Tens of thousands, per city (80,000 in Los Angeles, for example), are euthanized each and every year, because they're eventually abandoned, dumped, whatever.

      And here's this woman who has -- for the second time -- contributed to this serious problem by not spaying her beautiful dog. This mama dog has been to hell and back, and I cannot imagine she'll be able to last much longer, and especially if she's allowed to get pregnant yet again.

      I have absolutely NO sympathy for the woman, who's grumbling about lack of sleep, an overwhelming feeding schedule, and more.

      There's really nothing "incredible and wonderful," as she says, about all these births. What is incredible to me is her selfishness. My heart aches for the mama dog.

    • 1 year ago
  • PressCore
    • 0
      PressCore  
    • EthicalVegan:

      It's inconscionable for any canine's human companion to allow their pet
      to become a baby factory. Whether the human's motive is to promote their
      pet's breeding offspring to sell them..., Or whether they're negligent in
      having their pet spayed.., The damage to the adult female canine's body
      is irreversable. One Vet mentioned to me their risk for Cancer escalates
      dramaticly. To me dog is God spelled backwards. I love them, and cats
      too as the Angels they are. No creature should ever have to suffer like this.
      Thank you for your valuable contributions throughout this past year,E.V.
      Merry Xmas, and a joyous New Year to you & yours, ma'am. God bless you.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  
    • PressCore:

      Yet when i believe that a deformed and what could be a dog in pain should have been put down is held as the ugliest dog in britain i'm a bad person. talk about a double standard.

    • 1 year ago
  • PressCore
    • 0
      PressCore  
    • bailey78:

      I never meant to imply you as an allegely bad person. I simply meant
      that life is always preferable to death. And unless the pain is agony
      that can't be relieved, living without Love has to be the most miserable
      of all pain. Merry Christmas, man. Happy New Year.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  
    • PressCore:

      Ok! I see what your getting at. yes living without love is the worst pain anything can go through. and I wish you happy holidays and hope you have a great new year.

    • 1 year ago
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