50 dogs abandoned outside animal shelters in Metro Vancouver

Two metro Vancouver animal shelters are dealing with 50 dogs that were left at two separate facilities overnight on Aug. 30, 2013.

VANCOUVER -- Fifty dogs have been abandoned at two animal shelters in Metro Vancouver, forcing officials at the city-owned facilities to cover thousands of dollars in expenses.

The dogs were abandoned in Richmond and New Westminster between Thursday night and Friday morning.

In Richmond, spokesman Ted Townsend says 38 dogs -- all of them in good condition and well behaved -- were left in cages outside a locked gate in front of the city's animal shelter.

In New Westminster, city spokesman Sukh Maghera says a security guard found 12 dogs abandoned outside the animal shelter at about 4 a.m.

The Richmond RCMP is now investigating.

Townsend says it will cost at least $12,000 to care for the dogs until officials can track down the owners or find new ones through adoption.