Twenty-four American Staffordshire Terriers that were seized from a home in North Preston will soon be on their way to adopted homes, as the Nova Scotia SPCA has been awarded legal custody of the dogs.
All of the dogs are doing good since being taken into SPCA care. “They had a little bit of a road to go through with veterinary care, they had a lot of parasites, but they’re all doing very well,” NS SCPA cruelty investigator Jo Anne Landsburg told Global News.
Once the dogs are spayed and neutered, they be available for adoption.
“That’s part of the SPCA’s mandate that we get everybody spayed and neutered, as soon as that is done, we’ll be looking for permanent homes for them.”
Twenty-four dogs, many of them only puppies, were taken from a home where they were living in deplorable conditions earlier this month. The SPCA reported they had been living in an “extremely unsanitary” shelter that had no protection from heat or cold, and was filled with excrement.
Originally, the NS SPCA reported that 25 dogs were seized from the home, however they confirmed today there were only 24 actually taken.
READ MORE: Charges anticipated after dogs seized from ‘extremely unsanitary’ house
“We’re happy we were able to ensure the safety of these animals, and we’re encouraged that the Appeal Board has endorsed the NS SPCA’s handling of what is a complicated, but important facet of our mandate,” Landsburg said.
The owners of the dogs, Makell and Warren Cain are charged with violating the Animal Protection Act and are scheduled to appear in court on November 17.
READ MORE: Seizure of 25 dogs from North Preston house leads to charges under Animal Protection Act
Community Pups
Since being taken into SCPA care, nine of the two-month old puppies have been participating in the Working On Our Future (WOOF) canine therapy program at the Burnside Correctional Facility.
“They were pretty frightened and unsocialized when we brought them in, but the word that we’ve had from over there is that they’re doing wonderful,” said Sandra Flemming, provincial animal care director with the SPCA.
The dogs are being socialized with the help of inmates, professional trainers and corrections officers. They’re taught basic commands and given basic training to help make their transition easier when they’re adopted.
“They get full obedience and then they come back and they’re just, we call them add water puppies, because they come back and they’re so well trained and ready to go to their forever homes. People really love the fact that they have all they’re basic commands and they’re good to go,” said Flemming.
The NS SPCA thanks the public for its generous donations of supplies since hearing about the dogs, but says they still need money to help with spaying and neutering each of the dogs before they can be adopted.
To learn more about the NS SPCA, or to make a donation that would help these and other animals, visit spcans.ca.
If you witness an act of animal cruelty, the SPCA asks that you contact their confidential hotline at: 1 (888) 703-7722.
-With files from Natasha Pace.