Found an Afghan Hound in my backyard. She is around 7 weeks pregnant (estimate). What should I do with her?

I found a beautiful black (long haired) Afghan Hound in my backyard a few hours ago. She looks well cared for but she is pregnant and her fur is badly mattered. I took a look at her and I would say she is around 3-4 years old. I know she is pregnant and my guess is around 6-7 weeks pregnant. I took a feel of her belly and as far as I can feel, there are more than 6 puppies in there. I gave her some dog food (I own a GSD & a Collie) and right now she is resting on the floor in my bathroom. She is wearing a white collar with an name tag (her name is Peta) but nothing else.I have called my vet and asked if she knows of any Afghan Hound owners in the area and she told me that she has only one regular customer with a blue AH male. I posted a few (around 15-20) flyers around and am waiting for someone to call me. I got one phone call from a guy but when I asked what the color of her name tag was, he said green (it was red) so I know that he was lying. What else can I do..What else can I do for this beautiful black girl? I would love to keep her but would hate for someone to be home right now wondering where their "Peta" was. She is very well socialized, she has no fleas or ticks, loves me and my dogs and is loving being in a home.No, taking her to the pound is not an option because the closest no-kill shelter is over 4 hours away.I would be very glad to take in such a beautiful girl and I have always wanted an Afghan but couldn't really find a good breeder in the states around me. If nobody comes forward by the time she has her pups, I will most probably keep her. By then, I am sure I will be very attached to me! I just let her out of my bathroom and she is resting her head on my lap! She is so affectionate...After her litter, if nobody comes to get her, I will definetely be spaying her. I might take her for a vet check tomorrow to see how she is.I will need to be doing a bit of shopping for these pups if her owner doesn't come get her. I have always believed in spay and neuter and the only time I was around for the birthing of puppies is when I found a stray Border Collie who had puppies 2 hours after I found her!!**DUH KIRSTIN!!** I will have to take her to the shelter near me (luckily only 5 minutes away) to check if she has been microchipped. ..Am leaving for the shelter now. I have always helped out with stray dogs but have never been fortunate enough to keep one (except for a Pug mix I found a few years ago, died last year of kidney failure) as most were purebred dogs that wondered away from their owner.Unfortunately, many dogs around my area wonder around as not many people have totally fenced in yards!I didn't go to the pound, I found a 24 hour vet clinic that I have never been to :-).I have posted a few more flyers on pet shop windows, vet offices, street poles etc., still nothing. I'm a very impatient person lol! Her fur is VERY dirty and I got the vet to brush out a few matts. It was so difficult that she had to trim a lot of her fur! Vet estimates that she is 7 1/2 weeks pregnant and I am going back tomorrow to get an x-ray to see how many pups are due (yes, I know, I probably won't get to keep her but still..) but she thinks there are around 7-9 pups. NO MICROCHIP!There are no Afghan Hound rescues in my area, only one 5 hours away!She is well trained and housebroken. Obviously she has a good owner. She knows sit, stay, down, heel, come and shake (paw). She gets along so well with Mia and Tori! She even loves my 5 year old tabby cat. .. I always thought AHs hated cats..?She is very frightened of the car and her leash so it was hard getting her in to the vet.

ask vets that are in towns that are close to your town. dogs can travel far, even when pregenent

I'm glad you are taking care of this beautiful dog. Highly doubtful that her pups will be purebred, but I'm sure they'll be beautiful, nonetheless.I hope an owner comes forth. If not, feel free to keep her, at least long enough for her to have her puppies in a loving home, and get spayed!

Check to see if there is an Afghan breed rescue group near you - her owner may contact them looking for her. Also, at least *notify* your local shelter and/or animal control (or police) that she has been found, so if her owners go there looking for her, they can find their way to you.Contacting other vets in the area might be a good idea, too.And good for you on making the caller identify the color of the tag to weed out liars!

Try contacting your local animal shelters to see if anyone has reported that their dog was lost. Another thing you could do is put an ad in the paper, but don't say what her name is and see if the people who call you know her name to make sure that they really are her owners. And if you can't find somebody it looks like you have a new dog.

It sounds like you're doing the right things. Try to get an ad in the classifieds in your local paper if you can. If noone claims her, wait until her babies are weaned, sell them, and try to find a home for the mama (or keep her).

expand the flyers take them to grocery stores, gas stations and the vets office, she may have been micro-chipped as well and a local vet can check her and it should be free of charge.When someone calls about her make sure they have every detail and if they come to pick her up see how she reacts around them, dogs are good about telling about a person with just the way they act. Good luck and if no one claims her keep her, sometimes people don't adopt pets the pets adopt the people.

Have you taken her to your vet to check for a micro chip???I cant believe that someone would just dump a beautiful dog like that. I would call surrounding towns vets offices and see if they know this dog. If you live in an area where their may be tourists then perhaps she wandered away from them.I think your doing all the right things so it looks like it may be a waiting game to see if her owners come looking for her.Good luck and what a nice person for taking her in.

Don't turn her into the shelter, please! Contact Afghan rescue at http://www.afghanhound.net/. Tell them the situation and they should send out a volunteer as soon as possible. Most likely she is from a backyard breed or puppymiller. Don't give her to anyone except Afghan rescue.

You should take her by the vet's office so they can scan her for a microchip. Contact your local shelter and at least let them know you have her. The shelter is the first place the lost dog's owners will look for her and the shelter can keep your contact info on file to notify you if the owners come in looking for her. Call vets in your area and ask them to post a found dog sign in the lobby. P.S. Most animal shelters will take the pet and hold it for a specified number of days then call you if no owner arrives to claim it. Also pure bred dogs are rarely euthanized because they are more sought after.

When you took her in you took full responsible for her. You need to keep her until you find her owner. I bet they are worried sick.. Run an ad in the paper. Put of flyer's at the stores, ask you neighbors, but find the owners. Don't say to much about her having puppies not many people will know that at least you will have that to go buy other than a red or white tag. Please let us know if you find the owner. I know what it is like losing a pet and it rips your heart out.Adding this ...I never thought about the chip duh@me and all my dogs are chip lol.. time for me to go to bed lol

I am so happy she found someone like you!!Have you checked to see if she has an ID chip? Your vet will scan her for free, and contact her owner. If she doesn't have a chip, keep advertising. Put an ad in the newspaper, and alert local vets and shelters that you have found her, if anyone comes looking. If no one calls, you have a new dog!

This dog CLEARLY has an owner. Besides being a "rare" breed for people to have they are difficult to raise so if she is behaving well around you they did a good job. Her fur could be matted because they don't want to irritate her by brushing while she is pregnant. It was smart of you not to release the dogs' name or collar color. There are so many people who would just "steal" the dog. Depending on how far she traveled and where her owners are (they could be on vacation and the dog walker let the dog get out) -- you may or may not see posters until sooner or later. By law I think you have to contact animal control in your area, because that is where technically they are supposed to look. Try posting online like at Craigslist.com and www.fidofinder.com. Also take her to your vet and have them check for a microchip. Chances are she will have one. If you walk her or take her to the local petsmart perhaps someone will recognize her. If she is 7 weeks old pregnant and you plan to keep her if her owners dont show up by the time she gives birth..that only gives them a week...please give them more time they could be out of the area or just not see your signs. You would want them to do the same for you. . . maybe they will give you a puppy!For now enjoy the beauty of that dog and keep her comfy. If I were you I would do everything I could to find the owner because you would want someone who found your dog to do the same!!

I THINK ITS GREAT THAT U R CARING FOR THIS , WHAT MUST BE A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL, AND THEIR LOYALITY IS UN DYING. HOPEFULLY U FIND THE OWNER WHO IS WORRIED AND NOT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD JUST DROP HER OFF, GREAT JOB,,,,,, J

there a couple of things u can do. if u really want to keep her make sure she doesnt have any owners. even with a name tag her owners could have kicked her out because of her pregnancy. call all of your nearest animal shelters and vets. keep posting up AD's but be very careful for who claims her. if no one comes forward and claims her then its up to you in what to do. Afghan Hound puppies are really beautiful even if they are mixed. she sounds like a really good dog.

I myself would keep her! Sorry but to leave word at all vets in area, contact the pound and inform them if any one looks for her to call with description. You hung the flyers, I hope without too much info. IE... color, size, Tag color is not a true determination dear, I'm color blind, red- green to me same same So he could have a come back with doctors. UMMMM don't give out any more info you gave gender, color, NAME, collar color. You are way too trusting especially here. Don't be surprised con artists beating a path to your door.

First off, is there a PETA organization around you? Perhaps she is supposed to be there and it is her marker not her name? Second I would take her to a vet or shelter that has a microchip scanner to see if she has a chip in her that would identify her. When they scan her, make sure they scan every inch of her since sometimes the older chips in particular can migrate. I'm a registered vet tech and have scanned many dogs before, one time we found a microchip down the leg of a dog so I always fully scan them slowly. If no luck there then I would notify all of the local shelters and vets in case her owners call there looking for her. If you still find yourself with her and possibly even her puppies soon, and you don't want to keep her then I would look up and contact Afghan Hound Rescue. Rescue groups usually have foster homes available in lots of areas even if it's headquartered far away from you so send them a message no matter how far they are from you. Keep us posted, surely someone is missing that pretty girl and will reconnect soon

Phone the nearest dog shelters and nearest Vet offices, let them post a notice. You can put an ad in paper (usually for free) if you have time & will to keep the dog for now....if not, please contact Afghan rescue or another dog rescue society, who will care for her and pups until the owner can be found, or a new owner and will be sure the pups are ok before they find homes for them. This last solution is probably best - unless you are a really dedicated dog lover!You were wise to withhold info and ask the caller for identification...please do not tell details, but make the caller identify color, marks, name of the dog - I'm sure you know that crooks and unscrupulous people claim dogs and sell them, or worse!http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfmhttp://www.afghanhound.net/If you don't find a breed (Afghan) rescue near you, contact the one listed anyway -- they can contact the nearest person who will take the dog, who is involved in Afghan rescue.Thanks for caring about this lost little mommy-dog!

keep her until she have her puppies.

Call the local non-emergency police and animal control, they will see if anyone reported a lost dog, another thing is...this is spring break for some people and a dog sitter could not have notified anyone yet, or the family hasn't realised a missing mommy yet. Take good care of her and let her rest, eat and drink. If no one comes for her in the next few days I'd contact the local no kill shelter(petfinder)and get her into a foster home(or become one if you're ready for the crazy life I live daily!LOL) Gotta love spring! Many people DO dump pregnant dogs, especially if it wasn't a planned daddy, but I just don't hear much about afghans getting dumped, hope she wasn't! Keep me posted:) I would love to see her pics and babies, I just love that breed!