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Starving Husky Was Owned By University Student: BC SPCA

She ate gravel and dirt to stay alive.

The owner of a starving female husky found wandering around Maple Ridge, B.C. has been identified as a university student in his 20s.

Willow, as the Siberian husky has been named, was found on Jan. 31 and weighed 15 kilograms when she was taken in, while the normal weight for a dog of her age and breed is around 24 kilograms.

The BC SPCA was able to identify Willow's owner after receiving a call from a neighbour who recognized her from pictures in the media. The owner, a Coquitlam resident, could now face charges.

"After interviewing him we believe there is sufficient evidence to move forward with animal cruelty charges under both the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Criminal Code of Canada," Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA, said in a statement.

Willow, whose age has been estimated between one and two years old, was eating gravel and dirt to stay alive. She is now recovering well in SPCA care.

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