It was a story that touched the hearts of people across the province. Spirit, the pregnant mare who was found on the side of the road in Fort St. John, ten kilometres down a logging road. She had lesions all over her skin, raw in some places, especially on her chest and she was also covered in hives and welts.
She was rescued by the BC SPCA, treated by a veterinarian, and had her healthy foal, named Journey, in the care of her BC SPCA foster on an idyllic property.
“This was such a lovely, good news story,” says Jamey Blair, BC SPCA’s senior manager of northern B.C. and the Kootenays. “It was an incredibly collaborative effort, from the Conservation Officer who contacted us about Spirit to the volunteer foster who drove her truck and trailer up a logging road to pick her up and bring her to her farm.”
Blair adds, “It was so good to be able to highlight the equine work we do. The BC SPCA is so well known for our efforts when it comes to companion animals, but we also do a lot of work with farmed animals and horses including finding them forever homes.”
And on that note, the BC SPCA is happy to report that Journey has found her forever home!
“Journey is living her best life on a farm on Vancouver Island,” says Christy King, the BC SPCA’s program manager, farm & equine. “Watching and waiting for Journey to be born, and now seeing her find her forever home, has been so rewarding. We can’t thank the foster enough for everything she did. We also want to thank Journey’s new family who agreed to foster Spirit until she finds a forever home so they can stay together until they’re both with their loving new families.”
Other memorable stories from across the province that touched the hearts of BC SPCA staff and the public in 2024 were:
· Thompson/ Okanagan: In September, Ellie was one of three pit bull mixes rescued from a home in Kelowna where they had been living in deplorable conditions. She gave birth to 10 puppies (sadly, one did not thrive) in BC SPCA care. The two other dogs were adopted almost immediately after coming into the BC SPCA’s care and all of Ellie’s puppies were also adopted into loving homes. Ellie would wait a little longer before she would find her forever family, but she finally did. In October, Ellie was adopted!
· Vancouver Island: They won the hearts of everyone who read their story. In June, a fire broke out approximately 245 metres behind the BC SPCA’s Alberni-Clayoquot animal centre in the Rogers Creek gully in Port Alberni. When the fire fighters were doing sweeps of the scene, five kittens, with varying degrees of burns, were found and brought to the BC SPCA. Sadly, one of the kittens did not survive his injuries, but the rest of the kittens were treated and thrived in foster care. When they had fully recovered, they were all adopted, some by the veterinary hospital staff who had worked so hard to help them heal.
· Lower Mainland: Heidi was one of two terrified dogs running loose for weeks in Richmond’s Garden Centre Park this past summer. The BC SPCA Richmond centre staff had no idea if the dogs were abandoned or had escaped. The two dogs burrowed a hole in the ground, where they slept at night, but would be on the run again during daylight. Nobody could get near them for weeks as they would run off as soon as they were approached. BC SPCA staff worked tirelessly with the City of Richmond and other passionate community members to try and bring them into care safely. Finally, Heidi was caught but sadly the other dog left the park and was not spotted again. The BC SPCA is thrilled to report Heidi has found her forever home.