The Timmins
Animal Control Unit is scrambling to find temporary homes to nurse more than 50 pets seized from members of an animal advocate group over the weekend.
``A lot of them have infected ears and they smell bad, like they've been in urine
for a long time,'' said Nicole Benoit, an animal control
officer.
Members of the Friends of Animals Society were fostering the animals in a home in
Porcupine. Animal cruelty officers for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) entered the home with a warrant on Saturday and left with 32 dogs, 10
birds and seven cats. The animals were deemed to be
suffering from various ailments ranging from ticks, bad
teeth, skin problems and bladder infections by an on sight
veterinarian.
However, Saturday's
inspection was ``chaotic,'' said Christine Jacques, a
cruelty officer. Therefore the animals still have to be
assessed for respiratory problems.
The pound had to euthanize
five animals to make room for the load and are now at full
capacity. And caring for the animals has been draining the
Humane Society, a non-profit organization, of funds ever
since, Jacques said.
Although animals cannot yet
be adopted until the SPCA completes the investigation
sometime this week, the Humane Society and the pound are
asking for the public's assistance. Jacques said she
``highly doubts'' any of the animals will be returned to the
Porcupine home, meaning that anyone who chooses to foster
the animals has a good chance of keeping them.
Some of the animals were
fostered by the Friends of Animals members for up to three
months whereas they could have been adopted much sooner,
Benoit said.
``Those little dogs would
have been in homes by now,'' she said, adding that smaller
dogs are a commodity in Timmins.
While some dogs aren't
picked up for a longer period of time from the pound, the
smaller ones have homes as quickly as within five days, she
said.
Gloria Lebrun was in tears
after she visited the pound on Tuesday afternoon. She was
upset after learning that a pet she had given to the Friends
of Animals two and half months ago allegedly endured poor
living conditions.
Lebrun, who already has
four dogs at home, could not accommodate a fifth and
therefore entrusted it would be properly cared for while
waiting to be adopted out.
However, she was visibly shaken and was unable to answer questions.
The SPCA is unable to
release names as the investigation is still ongoing.
Those interested in
fostering one of the animals are asked to visit the pound
located at 655 Pine St. S. weekdays after 1 p.m. to 4:30
p.m. or to call the Humane Society at 264-1816.
...and one more from Wednesday, August 12, 1998.
Police Seize sick animals from Porcupine home
From The Timmins Times: Page 3, August 12, 1998
By Joelle Kovach
A veritable zoo of sick, unkempt animals were removed from an overrun Porcupine home on Saturday by the local Humane Sociiiety and the Timmins Police.
A total of 37 dogs, nine cats, and 10 birds were confiscated from a bungalow in Porcupine on Saturday, all of them needing veterinary care.
"These animals should not have been lving in such close quarters, in suuch an unsanitary state," said Timmins and District Humane Society head cruelty officer Christine Jacques.
Along with Jacques, forur Timmins Police officers and a veterinarian executed a warrant to enter the home on Saturday morning, following complaints filed to the Humane Society.
The veterinarian deemed the animals ill and in distress, and recommended their removal.
They were subsequently brought to the city pound, where they have receeived further veterinary examinations.
The house was serving as a foster home for the local Friends of Animals, a registered non-profit society mandated to help animals.
The seized animals are now in the custody at the local pound. Jacques said that the Humane Society is appealing to Friends of Animals to surrender them, that they might be expediently placed in new homes.
At press time, the one member of Friends of Animals reached by the Timmins Times would not comment on the incident.
A police investigation is ongoing.
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