WATCH: SPCA officials are trying to find the owner of a husky that was found emaciated and near death. Jill Bennett explains how it survived – and how you can help.
UPDATE: The owner has now been identified.
WARNING: Close-up photos of Willow below.
VANCOUVER – The BC SPCA is hoping someone can help them find the owner of a Siberian husky who was found severely emaciated and wandering in Maple Ridge.
The dog, estimated to be between one and two years old, was found on Jan. 31 and brought to the Maple Ridge SPCA by a Good Samaritan. She was found near 256th and 128th Street.
Now named Willow, she weighed only 15 kilograms, compared to a normal weight of about 24 kilograms for a dog of her age and breed. She had been eating gravel to try and stay alive.
“She has been assessed with a score of “one” on the canine body conditioning scale of one to nine, meaning that she is severely malnourished,” says BC SPCA senior animal protection officer Eileen Drever.
“She has no identification to link her to an owner and we are seeking the public’s help in identifying who may be responsible for her.”
Willow was rushed to Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge, where she received around-the-clock treatment and she is now back in shelter care.
“When she first came in she was unable to lie down due to abdominal pain caused by rocks and soil in her gastrointestinal tract,” adds Drever. “There were no food remnants in her stomach so we think she was eating gravel to try to stay alive.”
Willow has already gained one kilogram due to emergency medical and nutritional support.
“She was barely able to walk when she came in. Her muscles are still very weak and she sometimes loses her balance but is now able to walk nearly a block with support,” says Drever.
She says Willow’s case is reminiscent of a 2010 cruelty case in Maple Ridge involving Trooper, an emaciated golden retriever. Trooper weighed only 11 kilograms when he was brought in; a typical male golden retriever should weigh between 30 and 34 kilograms. On Aug. 23, 2010, Trooper’s former owner, Michael Schneider of Maple Ridge, received a $2,000 fine and 10-year-probation from owning animals. He was also ordered to pay $430 restitution to the BC SPCA.
“This is an open investigation and we urge anyone who recognizes this dog or who knows anything about this case to please contact the BC SPCA’s animal cruelty hotline at 1-855-622-7722 immediately,” says Drever.
To donate to the SPCA, go to their website.
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