The BC SPCA in Fort St. John is caring for an injured mom and nine puppies brought into care through a Good Samaritan who discovered the dogs and took them to a local vet.
“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.”
Chortyk says Nova can no longer feed her nine puppies due to the medications she requires, which would cause harm to the pups if the medications filtered through her milk. “Despite the agonizing pain she has been in, she has been such a devoted mom, but now it’s time to let her rest and recover while we look after her babies,” she says. “Staff and foster volunteers have been providing supplemented feedings for the nine puppies multiple times a day to ensure they grow strong and healthy.”
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 (check the BC SPCA’s adoption website regularly to view animals available for adoption and for adoption applications).
Nova and her puppies are just ten of the thousands of abused, injured and homeless animals cared for by the BC SPCA each year through the generosity of loyal SPCA donors. Donors have the opportunity to match their gifts on May 5 during the #GivingTuesdayNow Global Day of Giving and Unity, a campaign being held as an emergency response to COVID-19.
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.
