Imagine Jasper and Mags sitting at the end of the driveway, watching as their beloved owner was driven away to the hospital. You might be thinking this is a story about how Jasper, a handsome retriever mix, and the lovely collie cross Mags, were left to totally fend for themselves. But they weren’t… at least not at first.

You see, Jasper and Mags’ owner had reached out to someone to check in on and feed the dogs, along with the little tabby cat, Whiskers, living inside the home. But the days stretched into weeks. And the weeks stretched into months. And, as the pets waited patiently at home, their owner remained in hospital.

The person caring for the pets came less and less often. The days were getting shorter, and the weather was getting colder. The dogs huddled together in an open, uninsulated garage and tried to keep warm. They started to lose weight.
You can only imagine how anxious the dogs must have felt as their meals came fewer and farther between.

Thank goodness, right around when things were starting to look really bleak, someone noticed the dogs were looking thin and seemed to be very much alone so they called the Alberta SPCA Animal Protection Services to check on the dogs’ welfare.

When our Peace Officer arrived at the residence, Jasper’s tail was wagging so hard and his doggy grin was a mile-wide. Mags hung back, a bit uncertain, ducking away whenever our Peace Officer tried to approach her. Our Peace Officer could clearly feel Jasper’s ribs and see him shaking in the cold wind. The garage alone would not be enough to protect these dogs from the fierce cold as winter was closing in.

As our Peace Officer soon learned, the person who had agreed to care for the pets had not anticipated the owner’s hospital stay to extend to months. The caretaker had tried their best despite experiencing hardship of their own, but found themselves overwhelmed. It seemed very uncertain when the owner may return home, if ever… and Jasper, Mags and Whiskers would not survive without help.

Thankfully, with some gentle persuasion, the owner came to realize surrendering all three pets to the Alberta SPCA would be in the animals’ best interest, since it wasn’t clear when, or even if, the owner might return home. Jasper, Mags and Whiskers received a thorough exam at a veterinary clinic and were transferred to partner agencies for adoption, with the hope they would
quickly find families and once again receive the love and care they deserved.

Jasper, Mags and Whiskers are all thriving in new homes today, thanks to your support of Alberta SPCA Cash Lotteries and Raffles. But we know there will be more animals in distress across Alberta, and your purchase of tickets will ensure they too receive help just like Jasper, Mags and Whiskers.