UPDATE: March 14 — The BC SPCA has identified the owner of the dog found with a collar embedded in its neck.
Warning: this story contains an image that may be disturbing to some viewers.
The BC SPCA is asking the public for help finding the owner of a seriously injured dog found wandering a service road in the interior on March 10.
The one-year-old shar-pei-Labrador cross has been named “Rusty” by SPCA staff, who received the dog at the East Kootenay branch the next day.
Staff say Rusty was found walking along the Carol Creek forest service road between Yahk and Creston by hikers, who brought the dog in.
Upon arrival, staff found a chain was wrapped so tightly around Rusty’s neck that it had deeply embedded into his flesh, prompting immediate treatment.
“He’s shown some aggression, so we’re waiting for him to heal and then we’ll assess his behaviour and see if he’s able to be put up for adoption.”
The case is similar to that of a dog in Duncan who also had a chain collar digging deep into its neck.
That dog was found starving in its home and tethered to a chain that was only a few inches long. He later died, and his owners have been charged with animal cruelty.
An investigation has been launched to find Rusty’s owner. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPCA’s animal cruelty hotline at 1-855-622-7722.