‘A miracle’: Emaciated dog found abandoned, trapped in carrier in Kelowna backcountry

Shannon Paille says it’s “a miracle” that a starved dachshund who was abandoned in the Kelowna backcountry was found alive.

Paille is the manager of the BC SPCA’s Kelowna animal centre, who is caring for the dog they have named Wilfred after he was recently found in rough shape by a good Samaritan.

According to the BC SPCA, Wilfred was not only abandoned in the woods, but also trapped inside a carrier where he barely had any ability to move.

The dog was found by a man who was driving his truck to get to the mountain bike trails off Postill Lake Road.

As he unloaded his bike, he saw a light reflecting off something down an embankment and discovered it was a pet carrier as he went in for a closer inspection.

Assuming it was empty, the man wanted to double check to be sure and it’s a very fortunate thing he did, because Wilfred was trapped inside.

The BC SPCA says the dog was emaciated, covered in feces and urine, and severely-restricted due to his collar being looped through the door of the carrier.

“The Good Samaritan and his partner brought the dog to an emergency vet clinic,” Paille said. “We have been trying to find Wildred’s owner. We found a microchip, but it wasn’t registered.”

Paille is unsure how much longer Wilfred would have survived in the cold and wet conditions given the state he was in, adding that it was obvious he had been trapped at the bottom of the embankment for quite some time.

Wilfred was emaciated, dehydrated, anemic and had a puncture through his upper lip, the BC SPCA explained. He was treated for the wound and has been on a refeeding plan.

His condition was stabilized at a local vet and he is now continuing his recovery at a BC SPCA foster home, where his “charming personality” is starting to show.

Recently, the good Samaritan that rescued the dog saw a picture of him on the Kelowna animal centre’s Facebook page and said they were relieved to see the sparkle back in his eyes.

“They were so scared when they brought him to the vet clinic,” noted Paille. “His eyes were so sad. He looked like he had lost hope.”

Wilfred will remain on a refeeding plan under vet supervision for the near future and will need follow-up visits to ensure a healthy recovery.

As a result, it’s still uncertain as to when the dog will be available for adoption.

Anyone who wants to donate to help fund the cost of care for Wilfred and other animals at the BC SPCA can do so online.