A dog found abandoned in a trash bag at the Lone Butte transfer station has sparked outrage in the South Cariboo.
On Thursday, Nov. 27, around 9:15 a.m. Horse Lake resident Cory Forsyth was dropping off his trash and recyclables when he heard what sounded like a squeak coming from the trash pit. Thinking it was just the sound of the gate, he went about his business, but as he prepared to leave, he heard it again. Growing concerned, he decided to investigate and see what was making the noise.
“It was a small cry, a little faint cry. There was a lady beside me, and she said ‘did you hear that?’ and I said ‘Yeah, I heard that earlier,” Fosyth recalled.
With the help of the Lone Butte Transfer Station’s attendant, Forsyth said they grabbed a picker pole used for sorting through the garbage and began to dig where he was hearing the noises. As they worked, they eventually uncovered a bag they saw movement in, along with a flash of fur.
Thinking he’d found a cat, Forsyth said he and the attendant lifted the bag out of the pit and opened it up. Within, they were shocked to find a small, elderly, emaciated but still very much alive dog.
“After that, I went and got a box, a little bowl out of the share shack and Al (the attendant) put some water in there for him,” Forsyth said. “I felt really sad for the little animal. He was obviously still alive and could still be saved, so to speak.”
When he picked the dog up, Forsyth said that there was barely anything to the dog, who he believes had been starved. When he was set down, the dog was unable to stand on its own.
After ensuring the dog was ok, Forsyth said the attendant called his supervisors for direction, and Forsyth left after learning the dog would be looked after, noting he had a dental appointment. He told the 100 Mile Free Press he still feels the same way he did when he first found the animal, shocked and disgusted.
“I was disgusted. I can’t believe somebody would take a live animal and throw it away like that. Regardless of the dog’s condition or age, no dog should be treated like that,” Forsyth said. “I felt very disappointed in humanity. Anybody who can do that to a pet, just surprised me.”
Following the rescue, Forsyth posted photos of the dog and his story on Facebook, generating widespread outrage from the community. He said his goal in doing this was so that the person who abandoned the dog would be aware that the dog is being looked after.
Forsyth said that he doesn’t want people to go after the person who abandoned the dog. He noted that he doesn’t know the circumstances that would lead someone to do this, but reiterated that whatever they were, they gave them no right to throw a dog away like trash.
“I don’t know the person’s circumstances, and I don’t want to judge. The dog was an older dog and I could see it had long toenails that hadn’t been clipped; it obviously was starved,” Forsyth. “That’s why, in my post, I didn’t want to come across as angry or hateful to somebody. At the end of the day, there was a reason why the person did this , and it was the wrong reason. In my opinion, the moral of it is that if you can’t look after your pet, there are people and organizations that will help.
“That’s how it should have been handled rather than being disposed of like it’s not alive.”
Ultimately, Forsyth said he’s glad he was there and was able to help rescue the dog, noting he did not believe it would have survived the night had it not been found.
Kat Chatten, the Cariboo Regional District’s manager of communications, confirmed with the 100 Mile Free Press that the transfer attendant contacted the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Chatten said the dog is now with the BC SPCA and appears to be ok.
“We’re happy it was a great outcome and we’re very happy for our contact employee. They did a wonderful job,” Chatten said.
The 100 Mile Free Press has reached out to B.C. SPCA for additional information, and will update accordingly.