SPCA honours Nanaimo dog for courage after near deadly flea infestation

SPCA honours Nanaimo dog for courage after near deadly flea infestation
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Rascal, a senior terrier-cross that was rescued last summer from his Lantzville home after a massive flea infestation caused him to lose 85 per cent of his blood, was honoured with an Animal Courage Award by the B.C. SPCA. Photo courtesy B.C. SPCA.

Rascal, a senior terrier-cross that was rescued last summer from his Lantzville home after a massive flea infestation caused him to lose 85 per cent of his blood, was honoured with an Animal Courage Award by the B.C. SPCA. Photo courtesy B.C. SPCA.

A dog that had to be rescued from its Lantzville home last summer because of a near-deadly flea infestation is one of two Nanaimo dogs to be honoured by the B.C. SPCA.

The senior terrier-cross named Rascal was given an Animal Courage Award after recovering from a massive flea infestation that caused him to lose 85 per cent of his blood.

The honour was presented at the B.C. SPCA’s annual awards ceremony in Richmond May 4.

Rascal came to the SPCA emaciated and his gums white because of the amount of blood that was sucked out of him by more than 100,000 fleas.

The SPCA says he would have died if not for emergency blood transfusions at Island Veterinary Hospital and his former owner, Gary Kenneth Bob of Lantzville, was charged with animal cruelty following an investigation.

Rascal now lives with a family in Nanaimo.

A 160-pound Japanese mastiff from Nanaimo named Nuke was given the Animal Hero Award.

The SPCA says Nuke was rescued in 2008 from a marijuana grow-op and later adopted by Canadian wildlife artist Jeff King.

12-year-old Nuke, a 160-pound Japanese mastiff from Nanaimo, received the Animal Hero Award by the B.C. SPCA for his numerous blood donations. Photo courtesy B.C. SPCA.

12-year-old Nuke, a 160-pound Japanese mastiff from Nanaimo, received the Animal Hero Award by the B.C. SPCA for his numerous blood donations. Photo courtesy B.C. SPCA.

Nuke has a universal blood type and King registered him as a canine blood donor and has given numerous life-saving transfusions.

The 12-year-old is a cancer survivor and is retired from the blood donor program.

Andy NealAndy Neal

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