Two of the 82 animals that were seized by the BC SPCA from a breeding and boarding facility in Surrey Tuesday had to be euthanized overnight.
BC SPCA’s manager of cruelty investigations Marcie Moriarty says all seized animals were examined by a veterinarian last night.
“Tragically, two of the cats — one cat and one kitten — met, what we call, the definition of critical distress,” says Moriarty. “That means they were in such poor condition that the most humane thing to do was to euthanize them.”
In all, officials took 82 animals, 67 cats, 12 dogs and three puppies, from the Surrey facility.
The cats are Persians and short-haired exotics, while the dogs include four French bulldogs, a poodle, a Boston Terrier, a Chihuahua, a Rottweiler, a Doberman, a Jack Russell Terrier, a Shiba Inu, a Pomeranian and the Pomeranian’s two puppies.
Moriarty says veterinarians, along with their staff and volunteers, are working around the clock to take care of these animals.
BC SPCA says all of the animals met the definition of distress, which can include the environment in which they were living, involving possible pathogens and contagious diseases.
WATCH: The SPCA is beginning another animal cruelty investigation today after dozens of cats and dogs were seized from a property in Surrey. Reporter Grace Ke talks to BC SPCA’s manager of cruelty investigations Marcie Moriarty about the seizure.
The owner of the facility told Global Mandarin the animals were not mistreated and that her business licence was deemed invalid due to a clerical error.
Ivy Zhou showed Global Mandarin the cats’ living quarters.
“I’ve got toys for them and I’ve got food and drink here and litter as well,” she said. “They can either stay in the cage or play outside. And I’ve installed an anti-bacterial floor used in hospitals.”
But Moriarty says while some facilities may look nice on the surface, they may hide certain dangers – like pathogens and diseases.
The incident comes less than two weeks after the BC SPCA took 66 dogs from a Langley puppy mill.
Moriarty says pet owners need to do their due diligence and make sure they check for up-to-date licencing, ask for references, check how many animals are on site and whether the owner is also a breeder.
The owner of the facility could be facing charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act or the Criminal Code.
“At this stage, it is a very preliminary investigation, but as soon as we have a file ready, we will submit it to Crown Council,” says Moriarty.
The animals are currently being held under a protective hold and are not available for public viewing or adoption. The owners of the pets that were boarded at the facility and have been seized by the SPCA will be able to get their animals back once their health has been cleared.
The BC SPCA investigates more than 10,000 complaints of animal cruelty across B.C. each year.
With files from Jon Azpiri, Catherine Urquhart and Frank Qi
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