Rescue set to bring nearly 50 dogs into Ontario this week before national ban is implemented

A volunteer with No Dogs Left Behind is seen in this undated photograph with a rescued animal. (Provided by No Dogs Left Behind)

An animal rescue and advocacy group is rushing to bring as many dogs into Ontario as possible before a nationwide ban goes into effect at the end of the month.

On Sept. 28, a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ban on the import of dogs from more than 100 countries considered at high-risk for canine rabies will become active.

Jeffrey Beri, the founder of No Dogs Left Behind, hopes to bring just under 50 dogs from Pakistan East Asia to Mississauga sometime this week before that happens.

“We are rushing,” he told CTV News Toronto. “There's rescues from all over the world contacting us, asking us for support in evacuating survivors to beat the ban.”

(It) will be probably the last flight into Canada.”

The ban, which was announced at the end of June, means that commercial dogs for resale, adoption, fostering, or breeding will be prohibited from entering the country.

“Canada does not currently have any active cases of dog rabies, a strain that is different than the rabies typically found in wildlife, such as skunks, foxes, raccoons and bats. However, in 2021, dogs were imported into Canada with this disease,” the government said in a news release issued on June 28.

“Following these events, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and provincial public health authorities have asked the CFIA to take action to address the risks from imported dogs.”

The agency said that rabies can be fatal to humans and dogs once they start experiencing symptoms and that the importation of even just one animal with the disease could result in transmission.

Beri said that all dogs rescued by No Dogs Left Behind undergo what’s called a titer test, which measures the level of antibodies against specific diseases, including rabies. In other areas of the world, Beri says that titer tests are mandatory for the importation of dogs.

“This practice should be embraced and it is costly, don't get me wrong, but this is what's going to protect rescue,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”

No Dogs Left Behind is a U.S. based organization, but it moved its operations to Canada after a similar ban was implemented, building a “safe house” in Scarborough.

The U.S. ban has since been temporarily suspended, with an exemption that allows dogs from high-risk countries to cross the border as long as they meet certain vaccination criteria. Beri said the organization will likely return South if Canada does not implement its own exemption.

“It's a big blow to no dogs left behind. And it's a big blow to rescue.”

Canadian animal protection group Animal Justice launched a petition when the ban was first announced, calling for exemptions based on rescue or humanitarian efforts. They argued the measure is devastating for volunteers and dogs in war-torn countries. They also allege the CFIA did not consult with Canadian dog rescue agencies before announcing the ban.

Over the past month, multiple animal protection groups have been left scrambling. Earlier this month, Golden Rescue, a Canadian animal protection and adoption organization, told CTV News Barrie they hope to bring over 130 dogs before the ban is implemented.

They also say the dogs they rescue are given the rabies vaccine at least 45 days in advance of travel.

For Bari, he wishes he could bring hundreds more dogs overseas before the ban goes into effect, but he is restricted by space at the safe house.

“We're really excited that we're going to give these dogs a second chance at life,” he said. “But I have to say that there needs to be a voice to the Canadian government that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. And they need to meet with rescues, like No Dogs Left Behind, to talk about how to create a win-win solution for not just the dogs, but the people as well.”