Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/pregnant-rescue-dog-maternity-shoot/

What would you do if you saw a dog roaming the streets without a collar? Most of us would probably try to catch it and bring it home with us in order to try and locate its owner. And that is exactly what Ryan Fant did when he encountered a collarless golden retriever in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Fant was out for a walk in his local park when he spotted the pooch. The dog allowed him to approach and pet him. She even began to follow him, and that is when he decided to take the dog home with him.

He cared for the lost dog, naming her Lily Mae. He tried to find her owners, but after a month of searching in vain, he took it as a sign to welcome her into the family on a permanent basis. And that is exactly what he did.

However, it wasn’t long after Lily Mae joined the family that Fant quickly noticed something was different. The dog’s svelte physique soon started to get a little pudgy. And this weight gain continued.

He took her to the vet, where it was confirmed that she was pregnant! That is when Fant got in contact with a friend, Caitie Evers, for help. Evers had years of experience working with pregnant dogs and their puppies, as she is a foster mom. Fant knew that there was no one better to help Lily Mae navigate her pregnancy than Evers.

Evers shared with The Dodo that she was immediately taken by Lily Mae and her zest for life. Despite being pregnant, the mama-to-be didn’t slow down at all. She continued to run and jump, something that made Evers quite nervous for her safety. She also shared that Lily Mae was a total sweetie with her, constantly wanting to cuddle with her.

Evers fostered Lily Mae through her pregnancy and decided that the best way to get the news out about her puppies was to stage a maternity shoot for the pregnant mama. Evers had always wanted to do a maternity photoshoot for a dog, and with Lily Mae, she got her chance.

Evers got in touch with a friend who is both a photographer and a dog rescuer, and the two of them got to work setting it up. With the help of her friend, Shauna Kiely, Evers was able to give Lily Mae the most adorable maternity shoot ever – and Lily Mae just loved being the center of attention got the whole half hour that they were taking photos.

Lily Mae’s maternity shoot came at the right time, as she ended up going into labor two days afterward. She gave birth to eight adorable and healthy puppies – seven boys and one girl.

They were all happy little pups and Lily Mae doted over her newborns. Once the little pups were weaned, they all found wonderful homes thanks to the help of Houston-based animal rescue, Chip N Snip.

Once they were adopted out, Lily Mae made the trip back home to Arkansas to live with her forever family.

It’s nice to know that they all had a happy ending.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog