07-02-2025
Puppies were in peril as snowstorm rolled in. So shelter 5 hours away hatched a plan
When six puppies and their mother could no longer be cared for with frigid — and dangerous — temperatures about ready to plummet in the area, rescuers with a Vancouver, British Columbia, shelter jumped into gear even though they were hours away.
Food was skimping away as a snowstorm was getting ready to roll in when a guardian made the unfathomable decision to ask for help with a mama dog who had delivered six puppies, according to a news release from the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
'Over the weekend, the BC SPCA Animal Helpline received a desperate phone call from a distraught pet guardian struggling to care for a litter of puppies and their caring mum,' the organization said in a Feb. 6 Facebook post. 'The dog food bag had run dry and extreme cold—plunging to -30°C (minus 22 Fahrenheit)—was putting their lives at risk. They made the right decision to reach out for urgent help.'
The shelter said it put together a risky plan to travel over 10 hours round trip in order to save the bundle, 'braving treacherous conditions to bring this little family into care.'
When they finally reached the group, it was almost too late.
'You can count the puppies' bones beneath their patchy, crusted coats,' the shelter said. 'Three of the most concerning wee ones are less than half the size of their littermates. These puppies needed to see a vet, fast.'
The dogs had eye and ear infections and skin issues and were malnourished and underweight. The vet team said they are taking things 'day by day' when it comes to the mother — named Perla — who was showing signs of a 'life-threatening infection' called pyometra. The infection needs to be managed with urgent surgery, but Perla is currently too weak to undergo the procedure.
'Now, this little family is in intensive care. They are receiving a strict schedule of meals to help them to slowly gain weight at a healthy speed. That means small meals of specialized food every two hours,' the shelter says. 'It's a lot to manage, but extremely important to ensure their bodies aren't overwhelmed and begin shutting down.'
Regardless of their ailments, the puppies still ask for affection and cuddles from the staff while Perla is continuing to grow 'stronger every day.'
For future updates on the group, visit the shelter's Facebook page.
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