Puppymill bust in QUEBEC!!!!

[Lucky Rescue]

I don't subscribe to the Gazette, but it's in today's edition. I could only get the headlines:

Good homes wanted: Laval SPCA puts up for adoption 23 dogs seized from La Plaine breeding operation

WOW!!!!

[mesaana]

YAY!!! There might be hope yet!

[Prin]

I subscribe (cheap student rates) I'll go get it.

[Loraxp]

WOW!!
I didn't think they could do that in Quebec - seize animals/charge people - seeing as there are no animal cruelty laws (mind you that was what I heard a while ago - it could have changed)... but I'll take it!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Prin]

Here it is:

Good homes wanted: Laval SPCA puts up for adoption 23 dogs seized from La Plaine breeding operation

CHERYL CORNACCHIA
The Gazette

April 6, 2005


The 23 dogs seized last week during a raid on an illegal breeding operation in La Plaine will be put up for adoption.
The German shepherds were found emaciated and covered with excrement in a cramped trailer home Thursday in the town 40 kilometres northeast of Montreal. They were signed over yesterday to the Laval SPCA by one of the dogs' two owners.
"It's good news," said Pierre Barnoti, executive director of the Montreal branch of the SPCA.
"We didn't expect that."
Usually, seized animals remain in the SPCA's custody until after their owners' case is heard in court. That can take up to two years and cost the SPCA thousands of dollars.
In this case, Barnoti said, the woman of the La Plaine couple who shared a 18-metre trailer with the dogs and her two children, age 5 and 8, decided against waiting for a court case.
"I suspect she just wants to live with her children in an apartment and leave it all behind," Barnoti said.
The children are now in Youth Protection.
As soon as the dogs are spayed, neutered and back in good health - which could take up to five weeks - they will be made available to new owners, Barnoti said.
Some of the dogs are being treated for infections or require other medical attention.
"They are beautiful dogs," said Linda Arguin, a groomer from Mascouche.
Right after hearing about the dogs, Arguin volunteered to help out. Since then, she has worked into the early morning to clean the animals.
One dog took four hours to clean, its coat thickly covered in hardened feces.
"It was like cement," Arguin said, shaking her head in disgust.
But the dogs, which she has bathed one by one in a tub at the SPCA, are gentle.
As SPCA workers fed the animals and cleaned their cages,
Arguin worked away on one dog that arrived last week weighing 32 kilograms - and, after being cleaned and shaved, weighed 29 kilograms.
"They just need some loving care," Arguin said.
Barnoti said charges will be laid. The delay, he explained, is not a result of lack of evidence but is only a matter of working out under which legislation to charge the dogs' owners.
He said the SPCA usually files charges under the Criminal Code and its provisions against cruelty to animals, which provide for a fine of up to $2,000.
In this case, he said, the SPCA wants to charge the dogs' owners under a much tougher Quebec animal welfare law that carries a fine of up to $15,000 per count of animal neglect and prohibits the convicted person to own an animal for two years.
When the dogs are ready for adoption, animal welfare authorities will be looking for experienced dog owners, said Yvan Bonneau, director of operations at the Laval SPCA.
None of the dogs has been housebroken or socialized, so they will require extra care, he said. They will eventually make good pets, he added.
"We are not looking for typical 'I'm rough, I'm tough' German shepherd owners," Barnoti said.
The cost of adoption will be $170 and include vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and a guarantee of health.
ccornacchia@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2005

[goldenblaze]

Wow I have goose bumps..this is great news. Would love to see the max given in this case, show all the other's that they are on the list aswell.Waiting for the day paws r us is closed hope it happens soon, this is only the begining. Hope each dogs find the perfect home.

[Princesss04]

That is wonderful news. So glad this happened. Hope all these poor babies find the homes they so deserve. Good work guys!

[chico2]

Great stuff!!! I read about it before,but then they said the dogs would not be adopted out,it's great they will be

[coppperbelle]

They will be adopted soon because the lady surrendered all the dogs to the SPCA thankfully.

[Prin]

It was gross how one lost 3 lbs when he was washed and shaved. That's a lot of crunchy on a dog... :sad:

[mesaana]

Prin, that's 3 kg!!! Double the gross factor!!!

Lyne

[Lucky Rescue]

Okay call me a skeptic, but

As soon as the dogs are spayed, neutered and back in good health

since when has the SPCA EVER spayed or neutered anything? I got it right from the horse's mouth (so to speak) that they will not spay or neuter since they don't have the staff or time to give post-operative care (which consists of what??) Of course the fact that they don't want to waste money doing this to animals they will kill was never mentioned.

And if they are s/n these dogs, why are they getting preferential treatment over the countless other animals? I was told that 700 cats were were adopted out at Laval last year and not one was s/n if it had come in intact.

[Safyre]

OK, I am going to assume SPCA is Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ... and my respose is based on SPCA meaning that.

In ontario, OSPCA, they neuter and spay the animals before they are given homes. They are given advantage for fleas, dewarmed and spayed/neutered wen they come into the shelter.
The adoption fee is higher for intact animals (kittens/pups) and once you have proof from a vet that they were s/n , you get part of it the adoption fee back. $150 for a kitten, plus taxes, and you get something like $30 back when you prove that it has been fixed.
At least, thats how it is in my city.

[mona_b]

The SPCA's in Ontario that I know of do s/n before they go to their new homes.Mine does all that Safyre has mentioned.Along with a microchip,and the licence is for life.Which means you don't have to renew it every year.Yes the adoption fee is high.But when I did the math on what my vet would have charged for all this,and the conclusion is that it would cost more from the vet.

What gets me is that the Toronto Humane Society doesn't do this.Yet they preach about all the homeless animals in their shelter and the over population.Well DUH,S/N the ones you have in there.Becasu half the ones that will go to new homes won't bother doing this.

[Lucky Rescue]

and once you have proof from a vet that they were s/n , you get part of it the adoption fee back.

Yes, that's what they do here. Obviously it's not working and many people never bother having the animal s/n.

I understand they don't want to do surgery on animals they are going to kill, but wouldnt' it be simple to have someone come and adopt an animal (pay fee and sign contract) have the animal operated on that day, and the new owner can come get it the next day? But they wont' even do that,even though it would cut down on the numbers they are killing every day.

Of the 700 cats they adopted out, if even 200 had litters, there's the 700 right back again. Of course if 200 are intact toms, the numbers of kittens being born is impossible to count.

[Safyre]

Sorry, I needed to be more clear in regards to the animals that they do not spay or neuter

The only animals that the OSPCA does not spay or neuter are the ones that are too young to have it done. Its been debated ont his website when you should spay/neuter your dog/cat, I have always been told, not before 6 months.

I have seen the OSPCA here in Chatham advertise a 16/17 week old male cat as neutered, and I thought that was a bit too young to have had it done but, they obviously felt different.

So, if you go in looking for a kitten/puppy, and adopt an 8 week old, it is not spayed/nuetered, and it is on you to do that. When you do, you get part of the money refunded.

[Prin]

I so don't agree. We got Boo from the SPCA and the way it worked was this:
You have to go to your vet and get the booster shots 2 weeks after adopting and then bring the dog back to the SPCA within the month and THEIR vet does the neuter. With Boo, they wouldn't do it because our vet wouldn't give the booster because Boo looked over 1 already and if you double boost, you damage the immune system. He made us wait 6 months for the booster. My vet faxed a thing saying he was cleared for the neuter but they stilll wouldn't do it. My vet fixed him and removed the dew claws ($180+40) and the SPCA would not pay. They would not budge. They could care less if we got Boo fixed or not. No one has called us, no one has come to see us, nothing. We could have bought him for research for all they know.

So yes the SPCA in Montreal allows pets to leave without being fixed and they never follow up on it.

[Lucky Rescue]

They could care less if we got Boo fixed or not. No one has called us, no one has come to see us, nothing. We could have bought him for research for all they know.

Yup. They couldn't care less.

[Safyre]

I am surprised that the SPCA is Quebec does not do the same as Ontario. Now I understand your hatred for the SPCA.
Now you know though, that is not the same in all areas.

[mona_b]

Safyre,I adopted both my cats(not at the same time) at 8 weeks.We filled out the adoption papers,got accepted.We got Casper first.He went in the next morning to get neutered and came home with us that night.Same goes for Winnie.Our SPCA does do the s/n at 8 weeks old.It hasn't effected them health wise in any way.Winnie is 13 months and Casper is 19 months.And both healthy and happy.....

I too am surprised they don't do it....I think someone should tell them how things are done her in Ontario...LOL

[chico2]

I know our HS s/n all their animals,it's in their interest to keep the animal-population down.The adoption-fee is high but well worth it,you save money.
Letting an intact animal go,is like adding at least 5 kittens/puppies,maybe more to the already overcrowded shelters.....what's the point of SPCA if they are as irresponsible as some owners?
I know,dumb question,they do after all save abandonned animals,but they invite a vicious circle by not s/n.

[Safyre]

Wow, I am surprised they did it that young, I mean... if the cats are fine and it didn't harm them, great!
I fully admit that I havn't adopted a cat for 6 years.
But I have an application for a new kitten at the shelter here once they get smoe kittens in. (btw, I got a job today. yay)

I have always been told you can't get animals s/n before 6 months soo, thats the info I was going on. I'll have to give a call over there and find out how young they do it here in Chatham.
Learn something new every day!

[mona_b]

Guess maybe the vets are old school.I know many who now do the Pediatric s/n.If I recall,they have to be a certain weight at that age.Other then that,it won't harm them in any way.

Congrats on the new job.........

[Prin]

I don't know how many beasties the OSPCA handles but the Montreal SPCA goes through 18000 animals a year. Following up on them one by one doesn't seem so significant to them. They just want to clear out stock. Especially after moving day (July 1st).

I don't think I would go back to the SPCA again. For one, it's too sad, and another reason is it seems so much like a shop for strays and abandoned animals.

I'm glad we got Boo but he wasn't the one we originally went to get. I had gone the day before and saw a really unsocial black lab and she was the one I wanted (I grew up with an unsocial lab). I called and asked them to hold it for me until the next morning. They were closed already and the guy said he would. The next day, there was Boo. My girl had been sold and Boo was in her place. No one knew where the girl had gone or when she was adopted... Boo (Cliff at the time ) had just arrived (long enough to get kennel cough really bad). It turns out that Boo was meant to be our dog. I mean I thought no one would want the growly one but her "flaw" was obvious. Boo threw up every night all night for the first three or four months (this is why I didn't want kids). A "normal" adopter probably wouldn't have tolerated that and would have brought him back. Luck of the draw I guess. So I'm glad we have Boo. I just wish the whole thing had gone more smoothly... Sorry that was so long...

[Safyre]

Don't apologize that it was long, I'm sorry to hear that you had such a bad experience with the SPCA

I don't know how many animals the OSPCA gets here in Chatham... I'm sure not as large of an amount as say..Hamilton (which If I recall is where i read Mona_B was from) or Toronto.
But as per the OSPCA.ORG website, all animals get spayed/neutered, or a portion of the adoption fee back if they are unable to s/n in shelter,
So I wonder if it is just the SPCA as it is in Quebec, having a different standard than Ontario. Ontario is more populated (human wise) than Quebec, so one would think more animals too.... have no idea though.
Again, I'm sorry you had that bad of luck.