Puppy mill - over 50 dogs - Durham, ON

Saturday, Mar 2, 2002

The Bruce-Grey Branch of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA), in concert with Ontario SPCA investigators from Stratford, Midland and Barrie, has rescued 50-plus dogs and four cats from a Grey County farm located east of Durham Saturday March 2, 2002.    

On a tip from the public about a suspected puppy mill, the Bruce-Grey Branch obtained a search warrant and, after a search of the property and a veterinary assessment of the animals, removed the approximately 40 adult small-breed dogs including Pug crosses and spitzes, 10 puppies and four cats. The investigation is ongoing to determine if charges under the Criminal Code of Canada are to be laid.

The animals were transported to the Stratford-based Perth County Branch of the Ontario SPCA where Ontario SPCA staff from that branch - as well as from Bruce-Grey, Midland and Barrie -administered veterinary assistance and cleaned and groomed the dogs.     "This rescue is a solid start to tackling the problem of puppy mills in the Grey-Bruce area," says Ontario SPCA Senior Inspector Jeremy Locke. "With coordination from the Bruce-Grey Branch, and the ready assistance from neighbouring branches, we were able to quickly move in - within a 24-hour period from the time of receiving the tip - to rescue these animals."

"The animals were confined in terrible, feces-ridden conditions," says Jennifer Bluhm, Branch Coordinator and Agent for Bruce-Grey Branch. "Most were found in a barn no warmer than 2 degrees Celsius. There were also dogs in every room of the farmhouse and in outdoor plywood and chicken-wire stalls. Their coats were matted, the floors were urine-soaked, and there were buckets of water with inches of feces in them."

As dogs are initially cared for and assessed, they will be transported for boarding and further care to Stratford, Midland, Barrie and Chatham branches of the Ontario SPCA. 

References

• Newswire
• OSPCA

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