Abandoned dogs get a second chance after being rescued
By: Cori Lee Miller
cori@cochraneeagle.com
Dogs have always been a part of my life, so I was excited when I arrived at the Chief Chiniki restaurant on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation Oct. 15.
This dog, found on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, gobbles down a can of food after being rescued by canine behaviourist and trainer Rory O’Neill. O’Neill rescues feral dogs on the reserve and other rural areas. Photos by Cori Lee Miller
Dog behaviourist and trainer Rory O’Neill had agreed to meet with me and let me accompany her on a canine rescue mission.
Based out of Canmore, O’Neill runs the Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue, and visits the Stoney Nakoda First Nation often to find and rescue stray and abandoned dogs wandering the lonely landscape.
The dogs she rescues receive vet care — often paid for out of her own pocket — then are rehabilitated and adopted out.
O’Neill said she always checks for collars or tattoos to see if the dog has an owner.
When O’Neill arrived I was surprised to see she already had two dogs with her: one big orange dog in the back of the vehicle and one German shepherd laying across the passengers seat.
The shepherd had been rescued a few days earlier, but not before being mauled by a group of dogs. He had gouges of flesh missing from his face, accented in some places with ugly looking stitches. He growled deeply as when we moved him over to make room for me, but otherwise he was content to sleep.
O’Neill explained to me what the dogs face after they enter the great outdoors.
Rescued dogs can be skinny from starvation, matted, freezing to death, infested with parasites, mauled by packs of other dogs, terrified of humans and suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
They are usually dumped on the reserve and other rural areas by an unlikely source — former owners.
“The dogs are frequently abandoned out here by people in the city. It’s a common thing, and then they breed,” she explained.
“People who do that, whose going to catch them?” asked O’Neill. “You know it’s not lawful to abandon (dogs), but the laws are too lax on animals abuse. Laws don’t protect animals.”
As we drove down the deserted gravel roads, O’Neill scanned the ditches and trees for any signs of dogs, slowing almost to a stop at one point to take a closer look.
“My motivation,” she said as she drove, “is because I know if I don’t do it, all these wonderful dogs that have been rescued would be suffering immensely.”
“They suffer a lot, they feel pain, they cry all the time, they are so lonely.”
She explained some people on the First Nation try to take the dogs in or feed them, but simply don’t have the resources to help them all.
Eventually we made our way to the dump and spotted two dogs right away.
The dogs looked at us for a few short moments before deciding we were not interesting, and then laid down to enjoy the sun.
These, O’Neill explained, were feral dogs, living underneath an abandoned home, and too far removed from human contact for us to try to catch.
Later, after a limping large breed tan dog joined them, I tried to get close to take some photos of the group. The dogs glanced at me approaching and quickly melted off into the brush.
Disappointed, I gave up trying to get a photo.
I wondered if these dogs had been someone’s pets at one point, if they have been loved and cared for even for a short period, or if they had been born here and simply never known human affection.
Meanwhile, a large tan and a small black and white dog trotted up the road towards us. They stopped and considered us leerily before retreating.
After grabbing a few cans of dog food, O’Neill lured the big tan dog over and he greedily stuffed his face into the can, quickly devouring the food.
The small black and white dog ran off in the other direction. We tried to follow him, but the dog ran every time someone got too close.
Eventually we decided to leave the little dog behind. When he was hungry enough, O’Neill said, she would be able to approach and catch him.
We turned our attention to getting our new canine friend into the truck. On the first attempt, the terrified dog used its bulk to push its way past O’Neill back out of the truck.
On the second attempt, I climbed into the front seat to give her a hand. After some heavy lifting the dog was finally in, the doors closed and I grabbed onto his collar as O’Neill instructed me.
Even as I tried to soothe and relax him, the big 80-pound dog struggled to get out of the car, trying to climb over me, giving me more than a few scratches.
The once sleepy, now terrified, German Shepherd in the front seat bared his teeth and barked at the new dog only a foot from my face.
Terrified I was going to be bitten, or worse, in the middle of a dog fight, I looked to O’Neill. She was calm, and instructed me to be firm with the dogs.
They did calm down, but the dog in the back seat was so terrified tremors continued to wrack its body.
Later, as I drove back to Cochrane, I wondered how someone could leave a living animal to such a harsh and uncertain fate.
I felt sadness for the little black dog we’d left behind and wondered what would happen to him.
For more information on rescues or to adopt a dog from one of the rescue missions visit www.rockymountainanimalrescue.com.
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I’ve adopted from her before and she does great work out there. I agree with the Oct 3trd comment you must be responsible with your animals they’re just like kids. The only reason I would see her grabbing an animal is if it is in poor conditions which would only mean you have to save the poor thing. If you truly love your animal it should be microchipped or wear a tag cuz it is a horrible feeling when you can’t find your loving companion
Please Stoney Member be careful with this lady & her organization because she does not verify if the dogs she takes are actual strays. She just grabs them when she sees them & doesnt seem to understand many do not put collars on their pets.
If an owner is not responsible enough to microchip their pet (or at least put a collar and tag on them with contact information,) then they shouldn’t have the animal in the first place. Lack of responsibility on the behalf of pet owners is why there are so many homeless animals in the first place!