Animals

The BC SPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre needs cedar boughs to help raccoons transition into their outdoor enclosures. (BC SPCA Wild ARC/Facebook)

Mid-summer baby bump prompts reminder from Greater Victoria wildlife advocates

Metchosin-based BC SPCA animal rehab centre in search of greenery for raccoons

The BC SPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre needs cedar boughs to help raccoons transition into their outdoor enclosures. (BC SPCA Wild ARC/Facebook)
A blonde raccoon out and about with its family on Saysutshun north of Midden Bay on Wednesday, July 27. (Photo courtesy Marian Stewart)

Island-dwelling blonde raccoon hits the beach on hot summer day in B.C.

Boater gets up close to blonde mother raccoon and kits on island off Nanaimo

A blonde raccoon out and about with its family on Saysutshun north of Midden Bay on Wednesday, July 27. (Photo courtesy Marian Stewart)
Nun cho ga, the mummified baby woolly mammoth shortly after discovery. (Yukon Government/Submitted)

Mummified baby woolly mammoth discovered in Yukon was likely weeks old when she died

Nun cho ga being preserved in freezer storage while next steps are determined

Nun cho ga, the mummified baby woolly mammoth shortly after discovery. (Yukon Government/Submitted)
One of the four Vancouver Island marmots released on Mount Washington July 6 pokes its head out of the burrow for the first time after its release. Photo by Erin Haluschak

Threatened Vancouver Island marmots continue to re-emerge from the brink

4 captive-bred marmots released on Mount Washington, population up to 258

One of the four Vancouver Island marmots released on Mount Washington July 6 pokes its head out of the burrow for the first time after its release. Photo by Erin Haluschak
Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were able to rescue a beagle from a drain pipe Friday, July 1. (Photos courtesy Nanaimo Fire Rescue)

B.C. firefighters rescue dog trapped in drain pipe after ‘yelp for help’

Firefighters fasten blanket to fire hose to create ‘Q-tip’ to pull out panicked pooch

Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were able to rescue a beagle from a drain pipe Friday, July 1. (Photos courtesy Nanaimo Fire Rescue)
Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were able to rescue a beagle from a drain pipe Friday, July 1. (Photos courtesy Nanaimo Fire Rescue)

Nanaimo firefighters rescue dog from drain pipe after ‘yelp for help’

Firefighters fasten blanket to fire hose to create ‘Q-tip’ to pull out panicked pooch

Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were able to rescue a beagle from a drain pipe Friday, July 1. (Photos courtesy Nanaimo Fire Rescue)
RAPS Animal Hospital is making it easier for Vancouver pet parents to access animal care (photo by Mikhail Nilov/pexels.com).

Vancouver Island pet owners offered free Lower Mainland hotel for $2K+ vet treatments

RAPS Animal Hospital hopes to combat wait times, cost and availability of animal care on the Island

RAPS Animal Hospital is making it easier for Vancouver pet parents to access animal care (photo by Mikhail Nilov/pexels.com).
A baby red-tailed hawk, right, originally captured as live food for an eaglet, left, has become part of a family of eagles on Gabriola Island. The eagles are feeding and caring for it after the eaglet wouldn’t kill it when it was brought to the nest in early June. (Photo courtesy Sharron Palmer-Hunt)

Food becomes family member for eagles on Gabriola Island

Red-tailed hawklet brought to the nest as food instead gets adopted by eagles near Nanaimo

A baby red-tailed hawk, right, originally captured as live food for an eaglet, left, has become part of a family of eagles on Gabriola Island. The eagles are feeding and caring for it after the eaglet wouldn’t kill it when it was brought to the nest in early June. (Photo courtesy Sharron Palmer-Hunt)
BC SPCA is seeing cat hoarder situations become more common, leading to crowding in the society’s shelters. (Black Press Media file)

BC SPCA halves cat adoption fees to ease shelter crowding

Society says it’s seen a spike in massive donations from hoarder situations

BC SPCA is seeing cat hoarder situations become more common, leading to crowding in the society’s shelters. (Black Press Media file)
Campbell Riverite Chelsea Cheeba was attacked by an eagle in Campbell River. Photo courtesy Chelsea Cheeba

Eagle lover ‘dive bombed’ by bald eagle in Campbell River

Woman sustained injuries to her head in incident

Campbell Riverite Chelsea Cheeba was attacked by an eagle in Campbell River. Photo courtesy Chelsea Cheeba
Necrotizing fasciitis, a disease that is difficult and expensive to treat and often fatal, has cropped up in six dogs in Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum Beach since October. (Stock photo)

Veterinarian issues alert about flesh-eating disease in dogs in Nanaimo and Parksville

Six cases of necrotizing fasciitis reported on central Island since the fall

Necrotizing fasciitis, a disease that is difficult and expensive to treat and often fatal, has cropped up in six dogs in Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum Beach since October. (Stock photo)
Therapy animal Diggity is missing on the West Shore and his family is appealing to the community for help finding him. (Courtesy of Anne-Sophie Dumetz)

Colwood family appealing to the community for help locating missing therapy animal

Diggity the cat has not been seen since Mother’s Day

Therapy animal Diggity is missing on the West Shore and his family is appealing to the community for help finding him. (Courtesy of Anne-Sophie Dumetz)
This Feb. 10, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP)

Bracing for her future: Human medicine rescues giraffe

Calf was born with her front limb bending the wrong way

This Feb. 10, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP)
The eagle that was rescued from inside the house in Port Hardy. (Jill Laviolette photo)

Eagle recovering after crashing through a window in Port Hardy

Rescuer hopes the eagle can be rehabilitated and released after recovering at MARS Wildlife Rescue

The eagle that was rescued from inside the house in Port Hardy. (Jill Laviolette photo)
Artist Tanya Bub sits on a bench with her sculpture of a man she calls Arthur Heart, along with a small dog. Similar works will be on display at her Art for Good fundraiser exhibit at the Gage Gallery May 10 to 29. (Don Denton/Black Press Media)

Victoria artist to donate portion of driftwood sculpture sales to animal cause

Driftwood dog display in May at Victoria gallery raising cash for BC SPCA

Artist Tanya Bub sits on a bench with her sculpture of a man she calls Arthur Heart, along with a small dog. Similar works will be on display at her Art for Good fundraiser exhibit at the Gage Gallery May 10 to 29. (Don Denton/Black Press Media)
Dolly has already lost at least 20 pounds after arriving last October to Crooked Leg Ranch. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Cariboo Observer)

Quesnel dog moving along her weight loss journey

A severely overweight dog at Crooked Leg Ranch is capturing attention and hearts

Dolly has already lost at least 20 pounds after arriving last October to Crooked Leg Ranch. (Rebecca Dyok photo — Quesnel Cariboo Observer)
Junior and Chloe. (Photo courtesy Kathy Zilkie)

Qualicum Beach resident goes fishing for a wayward kitty with ham as the bait

COLUMN: Reader shares the tale of ‘Junior’

Junior and Chloe. (Photo courtesy Kathy Zilkie)
PORTRAIT OF AN ESCAPE ARTIST: Bandit, a cat with a never-ending need to embark on new adventures. (Philip Wolf photo)

Wolf: The cat came back… then left again for his latest epic adventure

COLUMN: Reunions with missing pets make for an interesting tale

PORTRAIT OF AN ESCAPE ARTIST: Bandit, a cat with a never-ending need to embark on new adventures. (Philip Wolf photo)
Three rabbits were allegedly killed and dissected in a classroom on Jan. 28, in front of school students aged 9 to 12 years old, said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This photographed rabbit is not one in the incident. (Andrea Rondeau/Citizen)

Rabbits allegedly killed and dissected in front of Haida Gwaii elementary school children

Lesson was cruel and traumatizing to young students, said animal rights group

Three rabbits were allegedly killed and dissected in a classroom on Jan. 28, in front of school students aged 9 to 12 years old, said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This photographed rabbit is not one in the incident. (Andrea Rondeau/Citizen)
A Vancouver Island University biology professor says how and why a Canada goose ended up in a Chicago park is a mystery. (News Bulletin file photo)

Canada goose from Vancouver Island makes it all the way to the Great Lakes

Biology professor says how and why the bird flew so far east is a mystery

A Vancouver Island University biology professor says how and why a Canada goose ended up in a Chicago park is a mystery. (News Bulletin file photo)