PetSmart Charities® | blogzine » Animal Welfare, Dogs, Emergency Relief, Featured, Grants » Dogs from Massive Commercial Breeding Facility Walk on Solid Ground for Very First Time

Dogs from Massive Commercial Breeding Facility Walk on Solid Ground for Very First Time

December 12th, 2011 | Add a Comment

: Photo Credit: Kathy Milani/The HSUS

Taking their first steps on solid ground for the very first time in their lives, 527 dogs seized from a massive commercial breeding facility in Quebec are healing and learning to trust humans again.

Suffering from respiratory and skin problems and living in filthy conditions without sufficient food and water, dogs, ranging in age from new born pups to adult breeding dogs, were inhumanely housed and raised in what officials describe as largest commercial dog breeding operation in Canada.

More than 30 breeds of dogs, everything from Chihuahuas to Great Danes, were seized by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in September 2011 and turned over to Humane Society International/Canada (HSI) for care.

PetSmart Charities responded with a $20,000 emergency grant to help HSI set up a temporary animal shelter in a vacant building, complete with kennels, dog runs, food, supplies, and cleaning equipment to care for the more than 500 dogs. Dozens of volunteers, HSI staff, veterinarians, behaviorists, and even dog groomers worked around the clock to help the dogs recover from their ordeal.

“This was a massive logistical challenge that would have been impossible to do without the generous support of PetSmart Charities,” says Rebecca Aldworth, Executive Director, HSI/Canada. “Taking care of more than 500 dogs requires a lot of immediate resources that we couldn’t have provided without their support.”

In November, the Quebec government won custody of 607 dogs in all; 30 dogs were pregnant and delivered 80 puppies immediately after the transfer. The commercial breeders plead guilty to all 17 charges. While some of the dogs will have a longer road to recovery than others, all are destined to recover and be adopted into good homes, according to HSI.

PetSmart Charities of Canada provides emergency grants to help animal groups with the necessary resources to shelter and care for pets that are victims of disasters, emergencies, rescues, and large-scale hoarding and abuse cases.