Puppies rescued from uninhabited Canadian island
OTTAWA: Puppies discovered on an uninhabited island in the Canadian wilds are looking for a new home.
The litter – four males and three females – has been dubbed the Gilligan’s Island crew after the 1960s’ American television sitcom about castaways on an uncharted tropical island.
Two boaters recently heard their cries in the night, said Deb Vandekerkhove, the director of the rescue.
“The fellas could see some dark figures on the island across the water and thought it might be wolves fighting,” she said.
“The next day they took a boat over and found these seven puppies. They fed them and then contacted local rescue volunteers.”
Arrangements were made to get the pups food and supplies, and the two men brought an old dog house to the island and set it up as a temporary shelter.
Vandekerkhove is scheduled to travel to the Cross Lake area, about 500km north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and return with the puppies, which are believed to be a mix of Labrador and Husky and are about fourmonthsold.
After a few weeks of rehabilitation, they will be put up for adoption through Winnipeg Pet Rescue.
“It appears they’d been on the island all alone for several weeks,” Vandekerkhove said.
“They’re very cute with spikey hair on their heads but they were starving, just skin and bones, and they were terrified of people at first.”
The dogs are now eating and drinking water, playing with toys and appear to be warming up to their saviours. — AFP