The B.C. SPCA says it's found the owner of Willow, a lost dog brought into the Maple Ridge shelter last week on death's door.
Now named WiIllow, the Siberian husky, just more than a pup, had resorted to eating gravel it was so hungry. It weighed 15 kilograms, below a normal weight of 24 kg, when brought to the shelter Jan. 31. Someone found the dog wandering around 256th Street.
“We received a call from a neighbour who recognized the dog after seeing her in the media,” Marcie Moriarty, with the SPCA, said Friday.
The SPCA then talked to whom they believe is the owner and say there's enough evidence to proceed with charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Criminal Code.
Willow had been assessed with a score of “one” on the canine body-conditioning scale of one to nine, meaning that she is severely malnourished.
Once she was brought into the SPCA, Willow was taken to the Dewdney Animal Hospital where she received round-the-clock care. She's now back at the SPCA and gaining strength every day.