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A B.C. woman whose dog had to be given naloxone after it ate narcotics has lost an appeal to have another dog returned to her after it was seized by the B.C. SPCA.

According to an Oct. 14 Farm Industry Review Board decision, the dog's owner, who is referred to as K.P. in the decision, had the dog seized by the B.C. SPCA after she was taken to hospital under the Mental Health Act.

The decision says K.P. lived in a small suite in a supportive housing unit in an undisclosed location in the Lower Mainland.

In March, staff at the facility contacted the B.C. SPCA saying it was concerned K.P. had two puppies living in her suite.

One of the dogs had ingested narcotics and required NarCan.

The B.C. SPCA visited the site and found K.P.'s suite "stacked from floor to ceiling."

"Including garbage, furniture and drug paraphernalia such as glass pipes, tinfoil, used needles and multiple cans of butane," the decision reads.

K.P. told the B.C. SPCA that the dog had picked up the drugs randomly while they were walking in the park.

She said she'd given the dog NarCan but didn't take it to a vet to be examined because it was a "waste of money."

The decision says K.P. joked with staff that "it’s a good thing the windows open in my room or these dogs would be really high."

K.P. also said she planned to buy vaccinations for the puppies online and inject the dogs herself.

The two puppies weren't present while the B.C. SPCA visited the supportive housing unit, but K.P. went door-to-door looking for them.

The decision says later that day a resident was seen dropping the two dogs from an open window, as K.P. was waiting below. K.P. then took the two puppies to another suite.

The B.C. SPCA arrived shortly afterwards and the person in the suite handed the dogs over calling K.P. "an idiot" who shouldn't be allowed to own animals.

READ MORE: B.C. man accused of abusing his dog twice gets it back again

However, several months later the B.C. SPCA was called back to the supportive housing unit because K.P. had a pitbull called Elly.

K.P. had been apprehended under the Mental Health Act because she was suicidal. The B.C. SPCA decided that K.P. had abandoned Elly and seized the dog.

K.P. was out of hospital several hours later and then launched an appeal to get Elly back.

However, the Review Board refused.

"(K.P.) lives in a very small suite with poor ventilation that is cluttered with injurious objects and other hazards, including drug paraphernalia such as used needles," the Review Board ruled. "During this appeal period, (K.P.) did not take any steps to declutter her suite despite offers of help from the facility’s staff members."

The Review Board also said another complaint was made about the treatment of puppies in K.P.'s care in 2008.

Separately, a complaint was also filed in July this year about two new puppies in K.P.'s care and living in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. The B.C. SPCA followed up but couldn't find the puppies or K.P. so closed the file.

Ultimately, K.P. was unsuccessful at getting Elly back.

"Elly’s best interests outweigh (K.P.'s) claim to Elly. Elly faces a grave risk of falling into a situation of distress if she is returned to (K.P.)" the Review Board concluded.

READ MORE: B.C. SPCA seizes homeless dog, but owner still homeless

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