In the shadow of the Wesley Ridge wildfire on Vancouver Island, where smoke and the hum of firefighting aircraft filled the air, one cry cut through the noise—a desperate plea for help from a dog no one could see.
Janet O’Reilly, living just outside the evacuation alert zone, first heard it during her morning walk. “I heard a dog crying,” she recalled. Later, a neighbor confirmed the heartbreaking truth: a dog was tied to a tree on a one-foot chain, with no food, no water, and no one in sight.
For at least ten hours, the young dog—later named Eve, after O’Reilly’s middle name—had been alone in a remote patch of woods, far from any passerby. “I feel like if somebody wanted this dog to be found,” O’Reilly said, “it would have been tied somewhere where there are people… This dog was tied where nobody… would have come across her if she wasn’t barking.”
Armed with water and quiet determination, O’Reilly approached cautiously. She placed the water down first. Eve drank and drank, her thirst outweighing her fear. “She didn’t seem intimidated by me at all… She wasn’t trying to get away from me; she was happy to be with me.” By grace—or perhaps fate—the chain was fastened with a simple carabiner. In moments, Eve was free.
But rescue was only the beginning. With two dogs and two cats of her own, O’Reilly couldn’t provide a permanent home. Her urgent Facebook plea brought a wave of support from animal lovers. “Thank you everyone for your lovely words of support for this girl,” she later wrote. “Lots of media has followed up with her story… Hopefully we will continue to get updates into her new adventures to come!”
The BC SPCA stepped in, welcoming Eve into their care. “She’s in such great shape and she friendlies up pretty fast,” said Sam Sattar of the Alberni-Clayoquot branch. Estimated to be about two years old, Eve showed “no signs of neglect,” only an unexplained abandonment.
Now, Eve is safe, awaiting a veterinary check before being placed for adoption. Her past may hold unanswered questions, but her future is bright—filled with the promise of love, warmth, and security.
From the lonely cry of a dog in distress to the embrace of a community determined to help, Eve’s story is a reminder of the difference one act of compassion can make. In O’Reilly’s words, “She was happy to be with me.” And now, thanks to many caring hearts, she will never have to be alone again.
After her rescue and journey to safety, Eve’s story has taken the happiest turn. According to Janet, she has since been adopted by a caring woman who has given her a new name—Luna. No longer the frightened dog chained to a tree, Luna is now thriving in her new home, living her best life with a bright and loving future ahead.
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