A dog that had been dumped in a pet crate and was miraculously found by a mountain biker in Kelowna is now on the road to recovery.

The Good Samaritan was getting ready to ride the trails near Postill Road between Kelowna and Lake Country when he spotted something unusual. While unloading his bike from his truck, he noticed a light reflecting off something down the embankment. He went to check it out and noticed a pet carrier. Initially, he assumed it was empty but wanted to double-check and investigate further.

Inside the crate was an emaciated and near-death dachshund. The pup was covered in feces and urine and their collar had been looped through the door of the carrier which was severely restricting its movement.

鈥淚t really is a miracle the dog was found. The Good Samaritan shared with me that he usually rides much further up the mountain than where he stopped and doesn鈥檛 know why he chose to stop there,鈥� said Shannon Paille, manager of the BC SPCA鈥檚 Kelowna animal centre.

Paille said it was clear the dog had been there for quite some time and is not sure how much longer the pooch would have lasted stuck in the cold and wet crate given the physical condition he was in.

鈥淭hey were so scared when they brought him to the vet clinic,鈥� says Paille about the Good Samaritan and his partner when they brought the pup in for care.

鈥淭he dog鈥檚 eyes were so sad. He looked like he had lost hope.鈥�

The pup has since been named Wilfred by SPCA staff and is on his way to recovery.

When Wilfred was brought to the emergency vet by the kind mountain biker he was emaciated, dehydrated, anemic and had a puncture through his upper lip as well as scars on his nose.

Wilfred was treated for the wound on his lip and put on a refeeding plan to help him safely gain weight by the team at the vet clinic. The pooch does have a microchip but it was not registered, making it challenging to find his owners.

Paille said 鈥淲ilfred鈥檚 charming personality is starting to come out. The staff at the BC SPCA and the veterinary clinic where he was treated have all fallen in love with this little fighter.鈥�

She said the little pup now has a sparkle back in his eyes.

Since he is recovering well, Wilfred was able to move out of the clinic and into an SPCA foster home.

Wilfred will remain on a refeeding plan under veterinary supervision for the near future and will need follow-up visits to ensure a healthy recovery, all funded by the BC SPCA. It is not known at this time when he will be available for adoption.

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