The heartlessness displayed by some individuals is truly astonishing. Those involved in the rescue business often confront deeply poignant moments, and no matter how frequently animal rescues encounter such sorrowful cases, the knowledge that there exist such callous individuals in the world never becomes any less difficult to bear.
A starving dog, who had been doing everything within her power to keep her puppies alive, was finally granted care during the winter season. This two-year-old dog, now named Celeste, was discovered abandoned and emaciated on the evening of New Year’s and was subsequently brought to the BC SPCA in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Remarkably, just days before this rescue, the little canine family had been discarded by the roadside like refuse. Good Samaritans who happened upon them attempted to assist the dog, but she responded by growling and rejecting the food they offered.
Swiftly, the dog was taken in by the local rescue team. “Despite living outdoors and enduring starvation, she was evidently doing everything in her power to try and nourish her puppies and protect them,” stated Nanaimo BC SPCA Manager Bonnie Pequin. “It was truly heart-wrenching. I still get shivers thinking about it; it was so profoundly sad,” she added.
Fortunately, Celeste and her puppies have now found a foster home with Elaine Nelson-Hosak and her family. “I lie on the floor, and she comes over, rests her head on me, and gazes at me with the most affectionate and gentle eyes,” her foster mother shared. She also noted that, despite enduring hardships related to food scarcity, Celeste waits patiently as her meals are prepared. “She’s such a well-behaved girl!”
According to the BC SPCA, Celeste will remain in foster care for at least another month, until she reaches a healthy body weight. Her puppies are expected to become available for adoption in the new year.
“We are immensely grateful that Celeste and her puppies are now warm and safe, receiving the care they deserve in this New Year,” Pequin remarked. “No animal should ever be left out in the cold without food or shelter, especially at this time of year.”