Alva Campbell is the kind of animal lover who would take care of a puppy or a kitten left on her doorstep even if it meant neglecting herself.

And after the unexpected death of a woman she barely knew, Campbell was left with not only a dog and three cats in just such a circumstance but the doorstep too.

Campbell works as a care aide in Chilliwack. Last year, a sick co-worker phoned her and asked her to come to her home right away.

Campbell went over and for a period of time helped the woman out, bringing her to medical appointments and out to run errands. After an X-ray revealed an aggressive, cancerous lump in the woman's lung, she was given three months to live.

She died less than a week later.

One day at the hospital before the woman died, a social worker informed Campbell she was the sole beneficiary of this woman's estate.

"The house, money and providing for the animals," Campbell said. "Bella the dog and three cats."

The problem is that Campbell has two dogs and a cat of her own in a 700-square-foot apartment. That and the fact that Bella, an 11-1/2-year-old German shepherd/border collie, has never been properly socialized means that Campbell's life is spread over two homes and a lot of dog walking.

"I've cried a lot of tears over this," she said. "I don't want to put anybody at risk."

Every single day, Campbell gets up, takes her two dogs for a long walk then heads over to the derelict house were Bella and the three cats live by themselves. She takes Bella for a long walk, goes to work from 3 to 11 p.m., then goes back to see Bella for another walk, before returning home to her own animals.

"This has been going on since May," said Carolyn Pinsent, who is helping Campbell with Bella through her small organization, Chilliwack Community Animal Projects.

While Campbell's situation is unique, the issue of animals being left behind due to owner illness and death is well-known to the SPCA.

"It's a very, very common reason that we do see animals coming to the shelter," said Ivanna Ferris, manager of the Chilliwack branch of the B.C. SPCA. "The owner either goes into a care facility and family is not equipped to care for the animal. Or in some cases the owners have passed away and the animals are brought in by friends or family and we are faced with finding homes for them."

Provincially, 350 animals were surrendered to SPCA shelters last year due to owner illness or death, Ferris said. Eighteen animals--dogs, cats, rabbits and birds--were surrendered to the Chilliwack SPCA because the owner was either ill or passed away last year.

Ferris recommends people make arrangements for animals in the event of death.

"Talk to your friends and family and have that discussion," she said. "It is very important that you have a plan in place for your animal. It is a responsibility of ours as pet guardians."

The B.C. SPCA has a Pet Survivor Care Program where an animal can be bequeathed to the SPCA along with money to care for the animal.

As for Bella, Campbell is getting help from Pinsent who is paying for dog trainer Ken Canuel to work with the dog, improving Bella's socialization.

Campbell would like to see the dog adopted, but knows she would have to go to the right home, with someone willing to be responsible and patient.

w Anyone interested in helping with Bella or considering adopting the dog can contact Pinsent via e-mail at roypinsent@shaw.ca. For more on the SPCA's Pet Survivor Care Program visit www.spca.bc.ca.