BC SPCA animal protection officers have saved a severely matted labrador retriever poodle mix and 25 cats, from a property east of Terrace, after the owner asked for help.
“The strong odour of ammonia and feces was overwhelming. The home was not suitable for animals or people,” says Eileen Drever, senior officer protection and stakeholders relations for the BC SPCA. “Many of the kittens were noticeably underweight and one of the cats had an untreated rear leg injury. The dog had difficulty moving because of the mats and was found lying on a mattress in the living room. We are thankful the owner asked us for help as he recognized he could not give the animals what they needed.”
Drever adds that the matting was one of the worst cases she has seen in her 45 years with the BC SPCA. “This poor dog’s fur was caked with urine and feces. He was unable to see because of the matting around his eyes, and his mouth was so heavily matted he couldn’t fully close it,” says Drever. “When he arrived at the animal centre, he was so scared, trembling, panting, and pacing. He didn’t want anyone to touch him.” Drever adds watching him try to lie down was heartbreaking for staff. “You could tell the matting was painful.”
The dog was immediately sent to a veterinary clinic for an emergency sedated groom to remove the extremely matted fur. “The mats caused hot spots and resulted in infection,” says Drever. “His painful nails were so dramatically overgrown, his toes became deviated. It will be a long slow process of paw and nail care before the quicks will recede enough for his toes to correct.” The dog was also suffering from an ear infection and dental issues.
Drever reports that most of the cats and kittens had urine-soaked fur and were frozen with fear when they arrived at the animal centre. “Staff gave them time to decompress and eat,” says Drever. “The cats and kittens soon realized staff were trying to help them and were very brave when they were being examined, receiving treatments and having their coats cleaned. Several began to lean in for back scratches and even the most anxious of the cats began to purr. It took three people six hours just to complete this step of their care.”
All 25 cats and kittens need to be spayed and neutered and several have dental issues. One kitten has a tennis ball sized abdominal hernia which will require an extensive surgery to repair. One of the cats was in critical distress and sadly, had to be euthanized.
Drever has some good news to share. “After the grooming, staff noticed a complete change in the dog,” she says. “He went from not wanting to be touched to wanting to be wrapped up in a blanket and held tight. He had been enduring all the extra weight and pressure of his matted fur for so long. It must have been such a relief to feel air on his skin.”
All the animals are currently in quarantine and the timeline for them to be available for adoption is unknown.
