39 dogs, 5 cats seized from ‘shockingly unsanitary’ home near Vancouver Island

The BC SPCA says 44 animals living in “shockingly unsanitary conditions” were seized from a home near Vancouver Island.

The seizure comprised 37 small-breed dogs, two Bernedoodles and five cats.

According to the SPCA, “they were found living in a home filled with feces, urine and garbage in a community off the coast of Vancouver Island.”

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The animals were transported by boat to Nanaimo and will be cared for at SPCA centres across Vancouver Island.

“The home where the 44 animals were living was so bad you could smell the feces before you entered,” the BC SPCA’s Eileen Drever said.

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“When the animal protection officers entered the home, they discovered the main floor was covered in what can only be described as a carpet of feces and there were incredible amounts of garbage in many of the rooms.”

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Drever added that animals could be found everywhere, including inside the walls.

“There was no visible food or water for them,” Drever said. “The home had no running water at all.”

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The SPCA says the small-breed dogs are combinations of Havanese, Papillons, poodles and Pomeranian mixes. Two are moms with seven puppies.

The litters consist of two puppies that are approximately three weeks old and five puppies that are approximately six weeks old.

Drever says all the animals were dirty and smelled of feces and urine, adding that “their paws were urine-stained and they had overgrown nails.”

She also said many were emaciated, but they seem to be responding well now.

It’s unknown when the animals will be available for adoption, with Drever saying seizures like this are financially difficult on the organization.

“It’s certainly a hardship on our resources, but I’m just so relieved that we managed to get all those animals out of there,” Drever said. “The conditions they were living in were horrendous.”

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Drever also hopes that the increase in animal seizures of late is just a blip.

“During COVID, some people were certainly taking advantage by breeding their animals and selling them for $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000,” said Drever, who added they don’t know if the person involved in this seizure was a breeder or not.

“Now people are returning to work and the demand is not there. It’s very expensive to care for one or two animals, never mind 44. So we have seen a number of animals coming in from breeders because they couldn’t sell them.

“Hopefully this is just a short-term thing.”