Photo: CTV

The Victoria Humane Society says two surrogate mother dogs have been found to share a litter of 11 golden retriever pups whose mother died during an emergency caesarean section.

Society executive director Penny Stone says the owners of two larger dogs, whose pets are also nursing puppies, came forward in answer to an appeal from the society.

She says 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, a Bernese mountain dog that had been nursing a litter of nine pups and then took on the double duty as surrogate mom to the 11 orphaned retrievers.

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

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