An Okotoks animal rescue agency is hoping foothills residents will open their doors to some canines that need a home – at least for a little while.

On Monday Okotoks Pound Rescue director R.J. Bailot brought a truckload of 26 dogs home from a rural property located seven hours north of Calgary. Bailot said they have taken in 45 of the animals over the last couple of months.

It is the second batch of dogs Pound Rescue has taken in from a woman who called them saying she was overwhelmed from caring for 70 dogs.

“Several years ago she got a couple dogs as strays and as will happen they multiplied,” Bailot said. “She wasn’t able to get the dogs fixed.”

He said the expense to get the dogs neutered or sprayed only increased as the dogs multiplied, ultimately putting the dogs’ owner into an impossible situation.

The large number of dogs is also difficult for the owner to manage, Bailot said, but added they were being cared for.

“Fortunately these animals were provided the basics – they were loved,” he said.

However, the woman did have trouble giving them all attention, said Bailot.

“The majority were living on chains,” he said. “That is discouraged. It’s not good for their quality of life.”

Pound Rescue is working with four other rescue agencies in Calgary and Edmonton to find foster families for the dogs to get them acclimatized to new surroundings.

“We need to provide foster space until they are ready for adoption,” Bailot said. “They need time to adjust to living with other dogs.”

The dogs are large breed animals such as German Shepherd Nakita crosses.

“They are super sweet,” Bailot said. “They just need a lot of patience.”

Pound Rescue is looking for homes that could take in pairs of puppies.

“We want them to be able to socialize, but they don’t have to take in a whole litter,” he said.

Bailot said he hopes to find 10 or more local families who could provide foster care for the Pound Rescue animals.

Currently, Pound Rescue has 70 dogs and 200 cats, which are all kept at foster homes until they are adopted.

He said as these recently rescued dogs are deemed ready for adoption they will be put on Pound Rescues’ website for interested owners to view.

Adoption forms are also available on their website at www.poundrescue.ca

Donations are also needed to pay the vet bills for the dogs, Bailot said.

“Each dog needs to be spayed and neutered and tattooed,” he said.

Some dogs from the latest batch will be sent to a vet overnight to have some minor issues treated, Bailot added.

As the dogs are adopted Pound Rescue will pick up more dogs, Bailot said.

“We hope to get them all,” Bailot said, adding some of the older dogs will be returned to the owner, who has now saved some money to pay for some of the vet’s bills to have the animals fixed.

He said Pound Rescue can only take on dogs as space is available.

“At this time there is always a space crunch,” Bailot said. “We can only take in dogs based on space and how urgent it is.”

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