Two puppies, both Pug crosses, are adjusting to their temporary home in West Kelowna, B.C., after being abandoned in a box on the side of the road in the Shuswap.
“They were very, very thirsty. They were dehydrated. They were covered in fleas,” said Romany Runnalls, president of the Okanagan Humane Society (OHS).
The seven-week old puppies, currently in the care of OHS, were found on a rural road in Tappen, just outside of Salmon Arm early Tuesday morning.
They were discovered near a community mailbox by Wayne Smith, who lives in the area.
“I see this box there and think what the heck is that and I drove in and there they were,” Smith told Global News. “I was almost in tears. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”
The pair, however, weren’t the only pups found abandoned in the area that day.
According to Smith, four more puppies, believed to be from the same litter, were also left in a box up the road.
Those four found another area resident later the same day and on Friday, Smith stunned yet again after finding a seventh Pug cross in the area.
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“Like I couldn’t believe it, like not again, like another one, like really? What is with people,” said an astonished Smith.
Runnalls said the alarming trend of animals being abandoned started after the COVID-19 pandemic but she’s urging people to reach out to an animal charity before putting an animal’s life in danger.
“It could be an affordability issue. People are not able to afford the spay and neuter costs anymore,” Runnalls said.
“But also it’s a rental situation, so all of this is post pandemic where rentals are too hard to come by where they will allow animals.”
Runnalls said it’s all adding to the overwhelming number of animals in need.
OHS has already rescued about 2,000 animals so far this year and is on track to having another record year.
Runnalls said to help care for unprecedented number of animals, the volunteer-driven organization is holding a fundraising raffle on the Okanagan Humane Society website until May 10th.
OHS is also holding two upcoming fundraising events including on Saturday, April 26 at Rustic Reel Brewing in Kelowna.
In Vernon, ‘the Heart for Paws’ event takes place on May 31 at the Prestige Hotel.
The abandoned pugs are expected to be up for adoption in a couple of weeks time.
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