WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government has seized more than 130 dogs living in what it has called unsanitary conditions at a home north of Winnipeg.
Animal welfare officials with the office of the province's veterinarian executed a search warrant at the property on Thursday, and they found many dogs in distress and in need of medical attention, a spokesperson for the province said in an email.
A total of 137 dogs were removed by animal protection officers and the case is being investigated under the province's Animal Care Act.
The animals were transferred to the Winnipeg Humane Society, where they are being treated and are to be put up for adoption at a later date.
Jessica Miller, the organization's CEO, said the shelter has had to put a freeze on taking in animals because it is at capacity.
"In this case we have had to shelter in groups, we've had to double-cage. That causes issues with trying to give animals medications, trying to clean kennels that have multiple animals in them," she told reporters on Tuesday.
"It just puts a lot of pressure on the system."
The humane society has roughly 611 animals in its care, with 281 of those being cared for at its shelters.
Miller couldn't comment on the circumstances surrounding the seizure as it's under investigation, but she said the organization has seen an uptick in the number of animals being brought into care.
Three large seizures occurred between May and August, with a total of 122 animals being sent to the shelter. Earlier in the year, more than 60 Maltese dogs were removed from a home in Winnipeg.
In some cases, Miller said, backyard breeders and puppy mills are to blame.
"There's no market for this. We're seizing a lot of these animals that have nowhere to go, we're seeing them dumped on the side of the highway because some backyard breeders are not selling them."
The government said none of the dogs had to be euthanized.
It said no other information about the animals is being released while the case is being investigated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2024.
The Canadian Press
