They didn't think she'd survive, but look at her now!
Meet Willow. The Siberian husky was found lying by the side of a road in Maple Ridge, British Columbia by two Good Samaritans. When other vehicles passed by, Mathieu Letourneau and Guillaume Lefevre stopped to assist Willow. At first, they couldn’t tell if she was a coyote or a wolf, or a dog.
“I decided to show around and therefore the dog was sitting there just abandoning — barely moving,” Letourneau described of their rescue on January 31, 2015. “It [Willow] was just s.t.a.r.v.e.d to d.e.a.t.h and needed something warm.” They gave her a Subway sandwich, put her in the car, and drove her to the Maple Ridge Animal Protection Association C.r.u.e.l.t.y (BC SPCA).
When the veterinarian checked her, they realized that the young husky had been eating stones and dirt to keep alive! “When she first came in she was unable to lie thanks to abdominal pain caused by rocks and soil in her alimentary canal ,” said Eileen Drever, a BC SPCA senior animal protection officer. “There were no food remnants in her stomach so we expect she was eating gravel to undertake to remain alive.” Irene thinks this dog may have 24 hours to measure.
Willow is only about 2 years old and weighs only 33 pounds (15 kg)! the traditional weight for a Husky here age would be 53 pounds (24 kilos). On the Canine Body Conditioning Scale, which is measured between 1 and 9, with 9 being best health and 1 being severely malnourished, Willow was assessed with a score of 1. After an appeal to the general public, investigators tracked down Willow’s original owner, a college student in his 20s. The BC SPCA has recommended charges within the case, which is now under review with Crown Council prosecutors, who will decide whether or to not approve any charges.
A few weeks after being rescued, Willow was taken care of by her family, where she began to recover. She likes to walk with her foster bag. Her family also shared that she began to respond to her name and liked to ride in cars.
One and a half months later, Willow has gained 20.5 pounds (9.3 kg) and is learning her basic commands. “She absolutely loves going into the water – it’s hard to stay her out!” The BC SPCA wrote, “She loves getting to the river, where she tries to travel for a swim, regardless of how cold the water. Her foster mum has got to coax her out with treats, in order that she doesn’t get too wet and catch a cold!”
Then came the superb news on March 16, that Willow has been adopted by a loving family. Although Letourneau and lots of others expressed interest in adopting Willow, the BC SPCA decided to put Willow with a family who has experience with the breed. “Because of her past, she features a number of behaviors which will need continued work by someone with breed experience,” Maple Ridge SPCA assistant branch manager Faydra Nichols said. “We were fortunate enough to seek out a family who has experience with this breed and they’re so happy to incorporate Willow as a replacement, furry loved one .”
Everything is the easiest for your future, Willow! Share her story with your friends and family!