‘Urine and feces’: 68 dogs living in poor conditions rescued from south Winnipeg home
Posted May 16, 2024 10:54 am.
Last Updated May 16, 2024 10:58 am.
“Unacceptable and horrific.”
That’s how Winnipeg Animal Services is describing the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Sixty-eight dogs were rescued from a south Winnipeg home early Wednesday morning. They were living in “inhumane conditions,” according to animal services.
“Urine and feces, layers of this and that. You can imagine what I’m talking about here,” said Leland Gordon, the general Manager of Winnipeg Animal Services. “Just unacceptable and horrific for any animals, let alone people, to be living in conditions like that.
“It’s unbelievable. Think of 68 dogs in a home, right. It makes me very sad, and my team very sad as animal lovers, to see stuff like this.”
Animal Service officers and members of the Winnipeg police went to a home in the Richmond West neighbourhood for a well-being check at 1 a.m. when they discovered the dogs, which were mainly smaller breeds.
The animals had severely matted fur, eye issues, and other health concerns, Gordon said.
The Winnipeg Humane Society is helping assist Animal Services with medical care and boarding for the animals while police investigate.
“We will be processing the animals and working with the animals that need the most help first,” said WHS CEO Jessica Miller.
The vet care is expected to cost around $150,000 for WHS, which is asking for financial support from the public.
“They are going to require a ton of grooming and medical care,” Miller said. “Often in small breeds such as this, there are a lot of dental problems, which are costly and take time to deal with.”
Under the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw, residents are not allowed to own more than four dogs in a home.
Gordon says the seizure is a reminder that people need to spay and neuter their pets.
“We have so many people in Manitoba not spaying and neutering their pets,” he said. “Bob Barker and Drew Carey used to say for a bazillion years, ‘have your pets spayed and neutered, goodbye everybody.’ But unfortunately in Manitoba, something is going on.”
