Dumped dog rescued in Vernon finds forever home
A goldendoodle that captured the attention of residents of Vernon and beyond last month has been adopted from the SPCA.
The dog had been running loose for weeks in the Vernon area while many people worked to catch him and bring him to safety. It appears the dog was dumped in a secluded spot in the Okanagan Landing area, and was finally picked up by Vernon resident Suzanna Lapierre at Marshall Field on July 15.
“I took a leash and lassoed him and then I didn’t know what to do with him but everyone there was encouraging me to take him because he’d walked to my truck and tried to hop in,” Lapierre said in an interview with iNFOnews.ca in July.
The dog was picked up by the Regional District of North Okanagan Dog Control and held for the mandatory 72 hours before being dropped off at the SPCA shelter in Vernon. At the time it was unclear how long it would take for the doodle — named Murphy by the SPCA — to recover and be up for adoption. Roughly a week later Murphy was adopted by a family in Lake Country who initially knew nothing about his challenging rescue.
“We were the lucky ones to adopt the elusive stray dog Murphy,” said new owner Leigh-Ann Johnson. “We kept his name, he didn’t need more change. He’s goofy and quite a character so it suits him.”
When Johnson arrived at the SPCA she saw Murphy in an outdoor pen and when he didn’t bark, wondered what state he was in that he was so quiet. She said the dog was “laid back and chill,” but that wasn’t the case when they brought him home.
“He was going through the roof like crazy,” she said. “We wondered what we’d gotten into, it took him a couple of weeks to settle down and not be anxious. Our biggest challenge is house training him, it was obvious he’d never been in a house, but he’s coming along really well.”
Murphy has since settled in. Johnson said the dog loves to swim and has a big yard to run around in. His fur is much cleaner and whiter than when he was found and he loves getting brushed.
“We’ve fallen head over heels for him. He's such an amazing dog and every day that goes by he's showing us more and more his true self. He’s gentle, loving, incredibly faithful, smart and so happy.”
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She added Murphy has made good friends with another goldendoodle in the neighbourhood that is also named Murphy.
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When asked how she felt about Murphy finding a home, Lapierre said she’s “over the moon.”
“I knew that dog was a winner,” she said. “You can tell when a dog is a good one. I think the dog will be grateful and the family is, it’s a win-win for everybody.”
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