Princeton residents take in 76 cats and dogs after transport stranded by B.C. storm

Vancouver -

On Thursday, the mayor of Princeton proudly announced the town's residents have "the biggest hearts you’ll ever see" – and after this week's events, many animal lovers would probably agree.

As the town was dealing with devastating flooding, residents still opened their homes to 76 cats and dogs in need of a place to stay.

The animals, all strays rescued by K9 Advocates Manitoba, were being transported to the Lower Mainland over the weekend when the storm hit. The organization had partnered with Abbotsford-based Heart & Soul Dog and Cat Rescue Society to bring the animals west and have them adopted out.

But the convoy only made it as far as Princeton. Severe flooding cut road access in and out of the town within hours, and suddenly the animals were stuck.

Princeton farmer Bryce Hancock got a call from a friend in Abbotsford asking if there was anything he could do to help.

“I went right over to my neighbours, they have a nice big shop, and I said, ‘Guys, do you want to have a crazy adventure with me?’ And they said, 'Sure,'” Hancock told CTV News. “We all unloaded the trucks, took all the animals out, cleaned them, and walked them.”

Hancock and his small team of friends and volunteers made sure the animals were warm and fed. He then posted on Facebook asking for help in fostering them out.

“Within four hours... we had 71 of 76 animals in temporary, loving homes,” he said. “People just started showing up, it was just like a convoy of trucks and vans and cars, people wanting to help clean and help feed the animals.”

The foster parents will have to hold onto the animals until people from the Lower Mainland can drive out to pick up their new pets. Hancock said many of the Princeton locals have already applied to keep the pets permanently.

Mayor Spencer Coyne said he’s blown away by how much his town has stepped up in the aftermath of the flooding, considering major infrastructure still isn't working.

“We’ve got three priorities: gas, water and sewer. Without those, we don’t have much of a functioning town right now,” Coyne said.

He said FortisBC should have gas lines – an essential service with temperatures dropping and snow falling – hooked up within the next 24 hours. Coyne also believes sewer services will be restored soon as floodwaters recede.

“We’re 48 hours from the make or break point on this stuff right now,” Coyne said. “If in the next 24/48 hours we lose our sewer system, then we’ll have to start evacuations.”

He's hopeful it won’t come to that. And after hearing about residents in his town stepping up to take care of animals in the midst of an emergency, he's beaming with town pride.

“I’m proud to be from Princeton, I’m proud to be from the Similkameen Valley," he said. "People here have the biggest hearts you’ll ever see. It’s just who we are."