Rescuing Reba
Updated: Jul 24, 2024
On the morning of June 20th, a post on the Okanagan Shibas Facebook page sent shockwaves through our (not yet official) shiba rescue community. Two Shibas had been spotted in Oyama, a red and a cream. Jenn decided to head out immediately to see what she could do to help.
As she drove towards Oyama, others were already gathering information. Heartbreakingly, before she even arrived, we learned that one of the Shibas had been found deceased near the highway, likely hit by a car.
When Jenn arrived, she carefully picked up the deceased pup so that we could prepare her for cremation. We nicknamed her Angel, a fitting tribute to her white coat and the sadness of her passing. Then we turned our attention to saving the red.
Julie, the homeowner who had posted on Okanagan Shibas, guided Jenn to the location where she had been feeding the red Shiba, who we later nicknamed Reba. She had been walking her neighbour’s property, feeding Reba three times a day, and whistling softly to gain her trust. Reba had started to respond but remained extremely skittish around others.
We considered various plans to catch Reba and were fortunate to have a tracker from West Kelowna loan us a live trap. However, the trap didn’t trigger the first night, likely because Reba was too light to set it off.
On the second night, we had an unexpected surprise. Reba appeared with a handsome black and tan Shiba, a male we later nicknamed Tux. They sniffed around the trap but didn’t go in. That night, coyotes caused a disturbance, terrifying Tux, who barked most of the night. Unfortunately, he was in a location not safely accessible at night.
Early the next morning, Jenn took her two Shibas, Brando and Boo, down to the lake, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tux. To her amazement, she found him curled up at the end of a dock. Despite being able to see her well before she approached, Tux stayed put. She tied Brando and Boo to a tree and approached Tux. After a relatively short period of time, Tux allowed himself to be caught. He started by taking treats from her hand and then, minutes later, she managed to pick him up. Then she held him until Shelby and Mike arrived to help. Tux didn't struggle at all, other than the occasional shudder. He was clearly done with life as a stray.
Mike then took Jenn's boys up to the car while Jenn and Shelby secured Tux with a collar, tracker, harness, and leash. After a quick assessment, during which time we did not find any immediate medical issues, we arranged for Tux to go to a foster home. His vet visit a few days later went well. He was very well-behaved.
With Tux safe, we resumed the search for Reba, who had seemingly vanished. The coyote might have scared her enough for her to relocate or she might have just been hiding. Despite our efforts, there were no sightings of her.
On the Canada Day long weekend, we launched a poster campaign in Oyama. (Mia was just there to hang out).
We made lots of posters, put them up in key locations, and talked to quite a few people. Although we did gather some useful background information, nobody had any recent sightings.
Finally, on Monday, a resident reported seeing Reba again. We immediately set up the trap, but this time we took extra precautions, making sure Reba would be comfortable going in. We spent the week gaining her trust with the help of three different homeowners.
By Saturday, now two weeks after securing Tux (now Luci). Reba was so comfortable with the trap that we decided it was time. Jenn set the trap and sat nearby so that she could manually close the trap when Reba was fully inside. After two weeks of stress, it was amazing to have the actual capture be so quick and stress-free. Julie, the homeowner, helped secure Reba with a collar and harness, and then Jenn took her home where she'll stay until she's recovered and put up for adoption.
The people instrumental in this rescue were numerous. Rheanna Parry spent significant time on the search, managing the trap and handling posters. Jenn Sanders also spent significant time at the site and counts herself very fortunate to have been around for both captures. Amber Muller, from Oliver, coordinated phone calls and vet appointments. Nicole Doiron in Calgary was pivotal in decision-making and paperwork, while her sister Shelby helped with transport and monitoring the trap. Homeowners Julia (left), Darla (right), and Barb (not pictured) played crucial roles in feeding and gaining Reba’s trust.
Reba has since been to the vet, where it was confirmed she was very underweight but otherwise healthy. Once she gained enough weight, she went in for her spay and vaccines.
With both Tux and Reba on the road to recovery, we take solace in having saved them, even as we mourn the loss of Angel.
Please reach out if you are interested in becoming a foster family, making a donation, or adopting one of these special pups (we have homes lined up but sometimes plans don't work out).
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