To say Lacey was in rough shape when she was rescued from a Surrey property five years ago would be an understatement.

The blue-eyed palomino paint yearling was gaunt, with skinny limbs, overgrown hooves and a fear of everything, even a blanket.

Fortunately, to say she乌鸦传媒檚 doing alright these days is also an understatement.

乌鸦传媒淪he looks amazing now, it乌鸦传媒檚 hard to believe that it乌鸦传媒檚 the same pony,乌鸦传媒� said Lacey乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒榤om,乌鸦传媒� Kathy Gilleran.

乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 the most loving and affectionate and trusting pony you could imagine. That乌鸦传媒檚 kind of what blew my mind with her.乌鸦传媒�

Lacey was among nearly five dozen animals that were seized by the SPCA during a cruelty investigation in August of 2015.

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Unfortunately, the seizure was not the first that the BC SPCA has dealt with involving horses, nor was it the last. Most recently, 27 horses were among nearly 100 animals seized by cruelty-investigation officers in late September from a farm near Princeton.

In each case, extensive 乌鸦传媒� and expensive 乌鸦传媒� efforts are taken to treat, rehabilitate and rehome all of them.

And while for some, the story does not have a happy ending despite best efforts, many others, matched with the love and attention every creature deserves, go on to thrive.

It is these stories of hope, perseverance and survival that inspired Kamloops photographer Leanne Peniuk to do what she could to help.

Peniuk began a quest last spring to capture the 乌鸦传媒渉appily-ever-after stories乌鸦传媒� for a book that would be sold to raise funds for the BC SPCA乌鸦传媒檚 equine division.

乌鸦传媒淓very horse is given a second chance and I just kind of wanted to showcase that and tell their stories,乌鸦传媒� Peniuk said.

Rescue Me 乌鸦传媒� published in November 乌鸦传媒� is a coffee-table-style book that shares the stories of 25 horses, including Lacey, that have been rescued by the BC SPCA and successfully rehomed.

The goal, said Peniuk, is threefold, including inspiring people to consider adopting or fostering a rescue horse.

乌鸦传媒淎nd if one person drives by a field and sees horses that maybe don乌鸦传媒檛 have water, food or shelter, or maybe don乌鸦传媒檛 look the best 乌鸦传媒� they take action and place a phone call to the SPCA, then it serves its purpose.乌鸦传媒�

Every year, the BC SPCA seizes between 50 and 100 horses from unhealthy situations, and in her five years as manager of the BC SPCA乌鸦传媒檚 equine division, Leiki Salumets has seen it all.

Salumets remembers that Lacey was a recent arrival when she started at the society乌鸦传媒檚 Good Shepherd barn in Surrey that August.

Knowing how far Lacey has come offsets the heartache side of the job, she said.

Salumets乌鸦传媒� personal experience with a rescue horse is also shared in Rescue Me. That horse, she said, 乌鸦传媒渢aught me kind of the most.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 a big part of the reason I do what I do.乌鸦传媒�

Proceeds from the sale of Rescue Me are earmarked to support the care and rehabilitation of the Princeton rescues.

Typically, the BC SPCA relies 乌鸦传媒渉eavily乌鸦传媒� on donor support to provide the care such animals need, said Salumets, describing the effort behind Rescue Me as 乌鸦传媒渏ust incredible.乌鸦传媒�

Publisher Jill Veitch 乌鸦传媒� who grew up in South Surrey but now calls Kelowna home 乌鸦传媒� described it as 乌鸦传媒渉eartwarming.乌鸦传媒�

Veitch said she learned of Peniuk乌鸦传媒檚 quest through social media, and 乌鸦传媒渋nstantly乌鸦传媒� messaged Peniuk, 乌鸦传媒渂ecause I have (a rescue horse) and it乌鸦传媒檚 been an absolute life-changer for my family.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒�

The foreword in Rescue Me is written by self-described rescuer, horseman and philosopher Kevan Garecki.

The book also include insights from Salumets and a prominent foster caregiver, as well as some information on the process that surrounds an SPCA seizure.

Peniuk said even though the book is finished, there is another chapter yet to come.

乌鸦传媒淣ext year, I want to work乌鸦传媒� on horses saving humans,乌鸦传媒� she said.

For more information or to order Rescue Me ($55) visit www.leannepeniukphotography.ca/rescue-me