The SPCA is investigating complaints of at least 100 dogs living in such squalid conditions that they were eating the carcasses of other canines. "I think it's revolting," said Kevin Dutfield, 27, a self-proclaimed dog rescuer near the property south of Buck Lake, about 150 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.
Dutfield said some of the animals were missing eyes, while others had lost their sight after drinking anti-freeze. They were also starving. Dutfield said he saw one dog with its head buried in the ribcage of another dog's carcass. "That put me over the edge. That and all the puppies with the cuts and gaping sores."
The dogs belong to Donna McPherson, 69, who said they're all healthy and happy at the property she rents. Her mobile home sits in a cluttered yard surrounded by a few trailers. She estimated she has fewer than 100 dogs and said she feeds them a mix of dog food, wheat, barley and oats to keep costs down. "I look after them," she said. "They're all I've got and it's none of anybody's . . . business what I do or where I go."
But Dutfield, who ended up at McPherson's place after responding to a classified ad offering free puppies, said he toured the place and there were at least 150 dogs. The Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is investigating two recent complaints about McPherson's dogs.
They've also been there before on animal welfare complaints, said Morris Airey, the society's director of enforcement. "We have dealt with this individual in the past," said Airey.
McPherson admits she breeds some of the dogs to sell them or give them away. "I went to work last year (at a farm) and I didn't sell the puppies and I got too . . . many." McPherson lives in the trailer alone and said she doesn't hear from her family very often. Case UpdatesNine puppies were reunited with their mother after an animal control officer rescued four more dogs from a property overrun by dogs, including some cannibalizing each other.
Wetaskiwin County animal control bylaw officer Jody Napier's rescue effort started Friday, after the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized six dogs from the squalor on a property just south of Buck Lake, 151 km southwest of Edmonton.
Napier went to the property on Friday with food and water and convinced Donna McPherson, 69, who rents the property, to let her take 24 puppies.
She returned yesterday with more dog food and was able to remove three more puppies and the mother to nine pups she had rescued from the property Friday.
"What I am personally trying to do is just save some dogs and hopefully help a human being in the process," Napier said.
She said she is trying to get help for McPherson.
She estimates that there are at least 60 dogs still on the property.
Many of the dogs are wild, though Napier said there are still salvageable dogs on the property.
A lot of the dogs are border collie crosses, but there are also Shih Tzus and terriers.
The rescued puppies have been treated by Dr. Fiona Kilpatrick at the Wetaskiwin Animal Clinic, before being taken in by various animal rescue groups.
The Humane Animal Rescue Team took in 17 pups from Friday's rescue efforts, and took the mama dog rescued yesterday to be reunited with her young litter.
The Northern Alberta Society for Animal Protection took in six puppies, including one that has already been adopted. | Source: Edmonton Sun - June 5, 2006
Update posted on Jun 7, 2006 - 6:26PM |
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