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Dog Control offers refuge for litter of pups evacuated from White Rock Lake wildfire

Noise complaint turns into opportunity to lend hand to Westside Road evacuee
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Dog Control Officer, Ashley Sissons, in the cutest dog pile possible. (RDNO)

Noise complaints turned into an opportunity for Dog Control to lend a hand to an evacuee displaced by the White Rock Lake wildfire.

The Regional District of North Okanagan Dog Control received excessive barking complaints at a Vernon home on Aug. 23, and to their surprise, the yips were coming from 14 10-week-old shepherd-mix puppies and their mom.

Dog Control contacted the owner and learned he had been evacuated from Westside Road and was staying with a friend while trying to balance his dogs’ safety and attending school.

Instead of opening the citation book and issuing a ticket, Dog Control opened their doors at the dog control facility to house all 15 dogs.

“Our mornings have changed in the facility, that’s for sure,” said Dog Control officer Darly Riva. “We show up in the morning to 15 wagging tails, lots of licks, and a lot more dog hair floating around than usual.”

The owner comes to visit often throughout the day to feed and spend time with the pups.

“I am so grateful for the generosity and collaboration that the RDNO Dog Control Officers have shown to me and my dogs. During such a stressful time, they have helped take one thing off my plate while I wait to return home,” said the dogs’ owner, Alex.

READ MORE: Police uncover drug lab in West Kelowna home under evacuation order due to Mount Law wildfire

READ MORE: Suspicious fire sparked again in Lumby under investigation


@VernonNews
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