Dog Rescued From Fire Evac Zone After Being Chained To Tree
Authorities in Canada have worked to quell the Wesley Ridge wildfire in British Columbia this week, and some good samaritans are doing their part by coming to the aid of an abandoned animal.
A dog was found chained to a tree in the forest, near trails that hikers use to navigate the wilderness. One woman, walking the trails with her own dog, said that she heard the abandoned dog crying but initially thought little of it.
She looked for the animal but couldn't find it, but learned from her neighbor later that day that they also heard a dog barking. That prompted a second search, and she would find the scared animal held to the tree with a one-inch chain and no food or water.
To make matters worse, the dog was chained to a tree near the boundary of the fire's evacuation zone.
"This morning at 6:30, I heard a dog barking on a very remote dog walk. I called out for people, but didn't go check it," Janet O'Reilly wrote in a Facebook group.
"A neighbor just came by, he ran across a dog tied to a tree on a 1-foot chain. No water or food. In distress. Same place I heard her crying earlier."
O'Reilly said that she went back to get the dog, freeing it and taking it home. Unfortunately, she needed someone else to take her as she wouldn't be able to accommodate her permanently.
"I went and got the dog. She was so thirsty! At least 10 hours out there. Tied, no water. She seems sweet but not comfortable around other dogs," the woman said.
"I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and can't keep her in my space. I'm already stressed enough. Please help me!! A number to call? A safe place for her to stay? Any info is appreciated!"
GlobalNews.ca says the British Columbia SPCA got in contact with O'Reilly and agreed to shelter the dog. The goal is to now find a forever family that will take care of her with the right amount of consideration.
“She’s in such great shape and she friendlies up pretty fast,” said the BC SPCA's Sam Sattar, who noted that the dog's name is now Eve.
“We’re just kind of wondering how she ended up where she ended up.”
O'Reilly has her own conclusion, believing that this was unfortunately done deliberately in an attempt to abandon the animal in a cruel way.
“I feel that a monster did this,” she said. “I feel like if somebody wanted this dog to be found, it would have been tied somewhere where there’s people, or where they're going to be.
This dog was tied where nobody, if that dog was not barking, this dog would still be there. Like, there’s no way me or my neighbour would have come across her if she wasn’t barking.”
Fortunately, the actions of bystanders like O'Reilly will now make sure Eve isn't abandoned any longer.