ThereB次元官网网址檚 going to be one less lonely beaver in the Fraser Valley.

Justin Beaver, named for a proud son of Stratford, Ont., will soon gain a companion with an equally patriotic moniker: Sidney Clawsby.

The story, by now, has reached every corner of Canada. The 10 kg semi-aquatic rodent, named for the Grammy-winning pop star, was stolen on April 17 from Cheam Lake Wetlands Regional Park in the Fraser Valley. The beaver was found dead in another regional park, but was in fine physical condition, so they felt it would be a useful teaching tool for children.

Sidney resident Connie Lougher-Goodey read about the theft in a newspaper, and realized she and her husband could help. Mervyn, now a councillor with the Town of Sidney, received a road-killed beaver about 40 years ago while an engineer with the Canadian Forces (a beaver is their emblem). It has traveled with them as he traveled for his job, but now that theyB次元官网网址檝e settled on the Saanich Peninsula, his wife asked him if it was time for the beaverB次元官网网址檚 next adventure.

B次元官网网址淚 know how expensive it is for a taxidermist,B次元官网网址� said Connie. B次元官网网址淚 asked my husband, B次元官网网址榠s it time to say goodbye?B次元官网网址� and he said, B次元官网网址榊ep.B次元官网网址� So I sent Jennifer a message and she responded immediately the next morning.B次元官网网址�

Justin Beaver was returned to park staff April 26, so he will now have a companion.

Connie said the donation was for first and foremost for educational purposes, and encouraged people to donate any suitable items to similar interpretative centres. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 our duty, in a way.B次元官网网址�

Jennifer Kinneman, manager of corporate affairs for the Fraser Valley Regional District, acknowledged the absurdity of the situation.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like you to think long and hard about what it was like to call the RCMP to file the report that we had a missing taxidermy beaver,B次元官网网址� she said.

Kinneman said the name of Sidney came first, to honour his origins, but B次元官网网址淐lawsbyB次元官网网址� came later.

She and the Fraser ValleyB次元官网网址檚 manager of parks will come to collect Sidney in-person next week, and they are glad to have another addition to their interpretive programs.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e very grateful, theyB次元官网网址檙e a really lovely couple. Really kind,B次元官网网址� said Kinneman.

The couple never named the beaver, but Connie said it was B次元官网网址渜uite appropriateB次元官网网址� to name him after the community heB次元官网网址檚 called home for so long.

When she learned of the national media coverage, Connie said, B次元官网网址淥h, gosh; oh dear. Canadian news,B次元官网网址� she laughed.

reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com
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