As snow was falling Sunday night, Patti Urie and Katrina Turcot were lying on the ground with dog food in their hands in an attempt to rescue two terrified, starving dogs.
The dogs, both skinny and skittish, were hanging around Fifth Bridge near the Maligne River with their leashes still attached to their collars, Feb. 28.
Earlier in the day, they had been spotted by a Jasperite who posted a photo on Facebook, inquiring if anyone was missing their pets; no one came forward and five days later Urie said Parks still hasn't received any reports of missing dogs, nor has the RCMP or the bylaw department.
When Urie heard the dogs were still on the loose Sunday night, she and Turcot hit the road to search for them.
“It just pulled on my heart strings seeing the dogs loose and scared,” said Urie who has two dogs of her own.
It didn't take long before they found the pups near the Fifth Bridge parking lot, but despite their best efforts, she and Turcot couldn't get ahold of them.
“We had them eating out of our hands, but we couldn't catch them.
“We did everything to try and bring them close to us; we were lying on the ground getting snowed on.”
Urie said the dogs—who, according to their collars, are named Princess and Sunshine—were both hungry and food motivated, but anytime she or Turcot reached for them, they'd run off, circling a few feet away.
“They stayed within five feet of us. They were really hungry and they wanted to eat, but when you motioned to grab their collars they'd dart away.”
Eventually the ladies caught Sunshine—a pup with a golden coat—but she got away when Urie opened the hatch of her car, and they were unable to recapture her that night.
At 11:30 p.m., after three hours in the snow, the women called it a night—but not before setting up a little shelter in an outhouse, propping the door open and laying out towels and food for them.
"We were sad to leave them," said Urie, who ended up returning with Turcot and staying until 1:30 a.m.
The following day, Parks Canada set up a trap in hopes of coaxing Princess and Sunshine inside, but that didn't work either.
The pair were finally captured Feb. 29. Princess was caught by a dog walker; Sunshine was caught by Turcot, who once again lured her with food.
The dogs have since been housed by the bylaw department, where they've bonded with Bylaw officer Neil Jones, and they've been to the Jasper Vet Clinic. On Thursday an anonymous donation was made to the clinic to help with the cost of spaying the pups, one of which is believed to have recently had a litter of puppies.
“There's a lot of people that care about them,” said Urie, who admits she'd be the first to adopt them if she didn't already have two dogs and three kids in the house.
“They're such sweet dogs. They're going to make great pets."
On Facebook, Jasperites are rallying behind Princess and Sunshine—sharing encouraging words and also raising questions about how they ended up running free with their leashes dangling from their collars.
“It's a strange story," said Urie, "but I think at this point it's clear they've been abandoned. If someone appeared today and said 'Those are my dogs,' they'd have some explaining to do.
"They're not fixed, they don't really seem to know their names and it appears they haven't really had any training."
The Hinton SPCA has offered to take the dogs, but Urie said she is hoping she can find them a forever home in Jasper.
“Our priority is to find a good home for each of them,” she said. “Our fear is what if they're in the SPCA and they sit there for six months, eight months or two years?
“They're so timid and shy, so they might not be the first ones to be adopted,” she said.
“I think they're ready to love and be loved. They have these gentle personalities and they're going to make a great loyal best friend for someone.”
Anyone interested in adopting Sunshine and Princess, or one of the two, is encouraged to contact Urie. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or on the Jasper Bark in the Park Facebook page.
Nicole Veerman
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