iN VIDEO: St. Bernard mom and pups rescued in Shuswap healthy and happy | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Light Rainshower  4.1°C

Vernon News

iN VIDEO: St. Bernard mom and pups rescued in Shuswap healthy and happy

Bailey and her litter of puppies have all been adopted.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/BCSPCA

A St. Bernard, who was nursing a litter of puppies in unsanitary and substandard conditions when she was brought to a B.C. SPCA shelter in Salmon Arm, has recovered and has found her forever home.

Bailey arrived at the shelter in rough shape, according to a B.C. SPCA media release. She was emaciated, had several abscesses on her feet, long nails that were growing into her pads and her fur was full of mats and feces.

She’s since had extensive grooming, her nails treated, two surgeries on her feet and was put on a special diet so she could safely gain weight. She still needs double entropion surgery to repair her inverted lower eyelids.

Bailey the St. Bernard when she first arrived at the B.C. SPCA shelter in Salmon Arm.
Bailey the St. Bernard when she first arrived at the B.C. SPCA shelter in Salmon Arm.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/BCSPCA

Once she was healthy enough, shelter staff started looking for a foster home for Bailey and her litter.

“When we were looking for a foster home for Bailey and her pups, I knew it was going to require the commitment and support of an entire family,” animal care supervisor at the Shuswap SPCA branch said in the release. “Five St. Bernard puppies and a mom who is recovering from surgeries require round the clock care.”

The ideal family was found and they stepped up to the plate and all of them had to be onboard and take shifts to care for the dogs.

“It is the first time we have fostered dogs,” mom Donna with the foster family said in the release.

“We eased into it with six St. Bernards,” she added with a laugh.

“House training five puppies at once has definitely been the biggest challenge,” Donna said. “The cleaning is constant.”

When they tried to load Bailey into their vehicle to take her to their home, she wouldn’t get in until all her pups were loaded first.

Two of the rescued pups.
Two of the rescued pups.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/BCSPCA

Bailey has since come out of her shell and is comfortable with people again.

“She doesn’t understand how to play with toys, but she does ‘play bows’ and accepts belly rubs which she didn’t do before,” daughter Mikaela said in the release.

Donna has some advice for people considering fostering animals for the SPCA.

“Be committed to the amount of work it is and keep your focus and goal in mind,” she said. “Enjoy the process and know you are helping the animals in your care find their forever home.”

The SPCA said Bailey and all five of her puppies have been adopted.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander or call 250-309-5343 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022
iNFOnews

  • Popular kamloops News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile