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Rescued dog on the mend

Charges recommended to Crown Counsel in dog cruelty case.
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Molly the German shepherd is recovering in foster care after being rescued from a home near Port Hardy in late November.

Molly, a Shepherd cross found near death, is happy and recovering in a Victoria-area foster home this week after being rescued from a horrifying cruelty situation near Port Hardy.

Although she was found extremely emaciated, outside, in a deplorable state of neglect, Molly is making a good recovery in the loving care of a foster home, the B.C. branch of the Society Against Cruelty to Animals announced.

The BC SPCA cruelty investigations team has forwarded recommended charges to Crown Counsel.

The 18-month-old Shepherd-cross dog was rescued Nov. 25 in what the BC SPCA termed “one of the most horrific cruelty cases ever witnessed” in the province.

The RCMP in Port Hardy was called out on Nov. 25 in response to a complaint of animal cruelty. They discovered the extremely emaciated dog outside on her owner’s porch.

“She was in critical condition, non-responsive and shivering, with a collar deeply embedded in her neck,” says Marcie Moriarty, the BC SPCA’s chief prevention and enforcement officer. “The constable immediately rushed Molly to a nearby veterinary hospital, where staff provided emergency treatment to keep her alive and removed the embedded collar from her neck.”

Once stabilized, she was transported to Nanaimo where the case was turned over to the BC SPCA for ongoing investigation. After receiving additional life-saving medical treatment, Molly has been placed in the care of an SPCA foster home as she recovers.

“She has gained some weight and is now able to walk, but she is still extremely emaciated,” says Moriarty. “She is getting care around the clock and we are very hopeful that, despite the incredible odds against her, she will make a full recovery.”

Moriarty says it is impossible to comprehend how anyone could allow a dog to slowly, and excruciatingly, starve to death. “We rescue thousands of animals from heartbreaking situations every year at the SPCA, but cases like this are particularly shocking,” she says. “The fact that Molly has survived is a true miracle and we are so grateful to the RCMP, the veterinary staff in Port Hardy and Nanaimo and all those who have played a role in her rescue and recovery.”

Molly has a long recovery process ahead and is expected to stay in foster care for several weeks before being placed in a new home. The BC SPCA depends on community donations to fund its cruelty investigations work. To find out how you can make a difference for animals in need, visit spca.bc.ca/donate.

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.