Woman hoping to be reunited with pet pig after being separated for nearly a decade
A Fort McMurray woman who had to leave her pet behind during the 2016 wildfire is trying to find him again and hopes her journey will help others in future emergencies.
Mickey Northey first adopted Marshall the pig when he was five months old and the two bonded quickly.
'We hung out together by the fire, we'd hang out with the cat,' Northey said. 'Marshall was a prankster. Every time I'd be kneeled down or busy doing something, he would come up behind me and knock me over.
'Anytime he wanted attention, he would get it by being destructive, which was in a way hilarious, because he'd pick the funniest things to knock over at random times.'
In 2016, wildfires forced the evacuation of Fort McMurray and Northey had to leave Marshall behind.
'I had four other dogs with me at the time, I loaded them in the truck, and unfortunately, because I was by myself, I wasn't able to load Marshall, who, at the time, was well over 100 pounds, to get him in the back of the truck,' Northey said. 'I was absolutely crushed.'
A neighbour, who was a firefighter, and RCMP were able to rescue Marshall and bring him to a shelter.
Northey's home was destroyed in the wildfire and her new one was damaged in the 2020 floods.
Now that she has space to house Marshall again, she's trying to find him, but he was rehomed so many times over the years that it's proving difficult to track him down.
'I made a commitment to him when he was five months old, when I adopted him, that I would keep him safe and I would love him forever,' Northey said. 'Unfortunately, circumstances hit and I feel like I owe it to him, to try and fulfill my promise to him, to at least make sure he's safe.
'The best news would be that nobody comes forward because he is so happy and they love him to death and they want to keep them.'
How to care for your pets during an emergency
Losing track of animals during an emergency like a wildfire is a common situation and the Alberta SPCA has suggestions for owners that can make reunions easier.
'Ideally, everyone has all of their animals properly IDed, whether it's with a legible tattoo or a microchip or a collar with information at all times,' said Dan Kobe, the director of communications.
The organization also recommends having an emergency kit ready for all household pets. The kit should contain:
food and food dishes;
water and water dishes;
a few toys;
blankets;
two weeks worth of medication; and
medical records.
Now is also the best time to do these things, so that when an emergency situation arises, owners aren't panicking.
In cases where owners have to leave animals behind, the SPCA says to leave them with everything they'll need to survive for three days, including food and filling up a sink with water.
'If you're gone from your home for more than three days, typically, a municipality will invite emergency personnel, at your request, to go into homes and help feed those animals in place until they can be removed from the home,' Kobe said.
'Leave information behind for emergency personnel … (including) how many animals are in the home, what they might need for special needs, medications, food, where the food is in the house.'
More information is available on the Alberta SPCA website, including tips for livestock owners.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Connor Hogg
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