More than 600 dogs and puppies seized from a Quebec farm will be soon placed in new homes in what officials say was the largest dog rescue in Canadian history.
A Quebec judge put the dogs in government custody on Thursday after the owners of Paws "R" Us Kennel pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.
ANIMA-Quebec, the province's animal protection agency, plans to begin adopting out the dogs and puppies after they have all been spayed or neutered.
"This was not only the largest dog rescue in Canadian history, but it also involved some of the most inhumane conditions that our [team] has ever encountered," Lauren Scott, a campaigner for Humane Society International Canada, said in an emailed statement.
For more than two months now, HSI Canada workers have been caring for the reportedly malnourished dogs at an emergency shelter near Montreal.
Last September, the agency was on hand to help the Quebec government confiscate the animals that officials said were suffering from skin and respiratory problems. It is alleged that the dogs weren't receiving adequate food and water.
"To have witnessed firsthand the horrific conditions these dogs had been forced to live in…and to now know that they can be placed into the loving homes they so deeply deserve is incredible," said Scott.
According to ANIMA-Quebec, the dogs and puppies were seized after officials conducted multiple investigations and determined the animals weren't receiving proper care.
Guy Auclair, a spokesman for the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has called the raid the largest that's ever occurred in the province.
In exchange for the guilty plea, the owners of Paws "R" Us will not have to cover any shelter costs but will have to pay a fine.
The Paws "R" Us case has placed Quebec's commercial dog breeders under renewed scrutiny, with several animal welfare advocates calling for new laws designed to crack down on puppy and kitten mills.
