Two Princeton, B.C., pups who were rescued from deplorable living conditions along with 95 other animals in September 2020 have now found their forever homes.
“The animals were living in an extremely poor environment, with lack of shelter, unsanitary living conditions, overcrowding, poor ventilation and were exposed to injurious objects,” Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA, said at the time.
Maisy and Joey were among 43 puppies, 24 adult and senior dogs, 27 horses and three cats that were rescued after the BC SPCA received a complaint about animals in distress.
Maisy has found a home on Salt Spring Island, where her new family included another rescue dog.
“They were instant buds and he provided her with a lot of comfort and confidence,” says Diane K., Maisy’s guardian.
When it comes to adopting an animal from a challenging circumstance, Diane says it’s important to offer the pet a very calm home.
“Don’t introduce too many people too quickly. Make sure you’re paying attention to how their feeling and don’t try to have them fit into your lifestyle too quickly,” she said.
“Use all the patience and compassion you have — and high-value treats are always a good idea.”
Joey is said to have have adapted quickly to his new home.
“He was immediately comfortable with us and as we watched him interacting with other dogs, we could see that his foster people had done a great job socializing him and taking care of him,” Annemarie Tempelman-Kluit said.
Tempelman-Kluit’s advice for welcoming a dog from a tragic situation includes having the entire family behind a training plan.
“Enlist professional trainers as needed,” she said. “That assistance is as much for you as it is for the dog. And be prepared for how much time you’ll spend walking and playing and generally hanging out with your dog.”
A number of the animals rescued from the Princeton property have recovered, with the help of the shelter in Kelowna and Penticton, and have been adopted out.
The woman who had hoarded all the animals, Janet Foulds, is said to be known to the BC SPCA.
A BC SPCA animal protection officer submitted evidence he found 40 previous complaints about animal cruelty related to Foulds when reporting evidence on the seizure to the B.C. Farm Industry Review Board hearing in November of 2020.
“We have definitely had dealings with this individual before and have seized numerous animals from her,” Moriarty said. “It is extremely frustrating because she frequently moves between properties and is known to hide animals from authorities.”
Foulds lost her appeal to the B.C. Farm Industry Review Board for the return of her animals and was ordered to pay $253,667.97, which is what the BC SPCA sought as compensation for their care.
The dogs and puppies seized were a range of breeds and breed crosses, including Labrador retrievers, Dalmatians, Corgis, Great Pyrenees, King Charles spaniels, Yorkies, Maltese, poodles and Australian cattle dogs.
A search for any animal cruelty charges against Foulds within the B.C. criminal court system returned no results.