A heartbreaking discovery on Vancouver Island has left animal lovers both relieved and outraged after a young dog was found chained to a tree near the edge of an active wildfire evacuation zone.
A Cry For Help In The Woods
Janet O’Reilly, who lives near the Wesley Ridge wildfire evacuation alert zone on Vancouver Island, first heard what she described as “a dog crying” during a morning walk with her own pet in early August. The sound came from a remote stretch of forest along the border of the evacuation zone, but she couldn’t see where it was coming from.
Later that day, her neighbor mentioned hearing persistent barking in the same area and decided to check. That’s when they made the shocking discovery – a dog chained to a tree on a one-foot chain, without food or water, and left completely alone.
A Desperate Rescue
O’Reilly immediately returned to the site to help. “She was so thirsty,” she wrote in a local Facebook group, explaining that the dog had likely been tied there for more than ten hours in distress. Unable to leave her behind, O’Reilly freed the dog and brought her home for safety.
However, with two dogs and two cats already in her care, she knew she couldn’t keep the new arrival permanently. She reached out to animal rescues and posted online asking for help: “Please help me! A number to call? A safe place for her to stay? Any info is appreciated!”
Safe At Last
The BC SPCA Alberni-Clayoquot soon stepped in to take the dog into its care. Staff named her Eve, after O’Reilly’s middle name, and described her as friendly, healthy, and surprisingly trusting given her ordeal.
“She’s in great shape and warms up quickly,” said Sam Sattar of the BC SPCA. “We’re just kind of wondering how she ended up where she ended up.”
Eve, estimated to be around two years old, had no collar, identification, or microchip. The organization plans to spay her and place her up for adoption once her recovery is complete.
Questions Remain
No one has come forward to claim Eve, leaving rescuers to wonder how she ended up tied alone so close to an active fire zone. O’Reilly expressed anger and disbelief that someone could abandon her that way.
“I feel that a monster did this,” she told Global News. “If somebody wanted her to be found, they would have tied her somewhere near people.”
The BC Wildfire Service has since confirmed that the Wesley Ridge wildfire is being held and is not expected to spread beyond its current perimeter. For Eve, though, the danger has passed and her new life is just beginning.
