An injured dog and her nine young puppies are safe after a good samaritan found them and brought them to a local vet.
The BC SPCA in Fort St. John is currently caring for the furry family. However, the mother is unable to care for her pups due to significant physical trauma. In addition, the medication she's on would cause harm to her young as it filtered through her milk.
“We don’t know exactly what happened to the mother, Nova, but she was underweight and had suffered severe physical trauma to her back and neck that left her with swelling around her spine and two dislocated shoulders,” says Lorie Chortyk, general manager of communications for the BC SPCA.
“In addition to these injuries, Nova was enduring the constant discomfort of ear mites and a skin rash. She is now on multiple medications, strict cage rest and is undergoing physiotherapy to decrease the swelling in her joints.”
Despitre her horrible pain, staff report that Nova is a devoted mom. However, now she requires rest to recover while staff tend to her young. Staff and foster volunteers have been providing supplemented feedings for the nine puppies multiple times a day to ensure they grow strong and healthy.
“Staff and foster volunteers have been providing supplemented feedings for the nine puppies multiple times a day to ensure they grow strong and healthy.” Photo : BC SPCA
Nova will require up to four months in SPCA care before she is ready for adoption, and the puppies are still growing and will not be available for adoption for at least five weeks.
The BC SPCA reports a staggering increase in the number of animal adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and cites people spending more time at home as a major factor in the uptick.
Last month, the BC SPCA offered half-price adoption fees for all animals in its facilities across British Columbia, and saw an impressive 300 critters find new 'fur-ever' homes in a mere five days. However, the organization has adapted its adoption process in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in B.C.
Individuals who make a donation on May 5 will double their impact for animals through the BC SPCA’s largest-ever one-day matching gift offer. “We have $100,000 in matching funds available for gifts made on Giving Tuesday,” says Chortyk. “We are so grateful for the generosity of Audrey Johnson, Ian and Rosemary Mottershead, Rendal and Leah Tschritter and two anonymous donors who have made this possible.”
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the BC SPCA has been operating as an essential service, providing sheltering, emergency veterinary care and adoption for animals, investigations into complaints of suspected animal abuse and neglect, online learning programs for youth and expanded pet food banks and other outreach services for pet guardians impacted by the crisis.
