The 72 dogs and puppies that were seized from a rural northeast Edmonton home at the end of July have begun the transfer to the Edmonton Humane Society, the charity announced Friday.
The move is the next step in getting the animals new homes.
The dogs were seized by Edmonton’s Animal Care and Control Centre and Edmonton police on July 26. They were mostly Havanese, ranging from two-week-old puppies to fully-grown dogs.
“We are thankful to our partners at Animal Care & Control Centre for bringing these dogs to safety and are glad that we can be a part of their journey to their new lives” said Catherine Stevenson, director of operations at the Edmonton Humane Society.
The dogs have been undergoing exams by the EHS medical teams and the shelter says it will “determine the next steps from there.”
“Most of them will be placed in foster homes until they are ready for their spay and neuter surgeries,” Stevenson said.
EHS said it is working diligitely to make sure the dogs can be adopted as soon as possible, but could not provide a timeline for when that might be, due to the state of a number of the dogs.
“As there is a large number of dogs who will require surgery, and many that are currently too young to be separated from their mothers, we cannot provide a timeline for when they will be available.”
Anyone who may be interested in adopting one of the dogs is encouraged to check EHS’s website to see when the dogs are available.
In the meantime, the charity is looking for donations to make sure all 72 dogs get the medical care they need.
WATCH BELOW: An Edmonton woman is facing animal cruelty charges after 72 dogs, mostly Havanese puppies, were found allegedly showing signs of severe neglect and potential illness.
Because of the size of the seizure, additional foster homes may be needed. Anyone interested in becoming a foster family can sign up on the charity’s website.
The dogs were seized while ACCC was investigating a complaint they received about an acreage near 247 Avenue and 18 Street.
According to Edmonton police, the investigation began after a tip from someone looking to purchase a puppy off Kijiji, but the puppy the customer received was not “not as pictured on the website.”
Investigating officers described the home as “pretty much every square inch” having puppies in it, Edmonton police spokesperson Scott Pattison said after the seizure.
“They were in playpens, some were on a porch outside — a covered porch — some were in hallways, in kennels. It appeared the breeder had tried to hide some of them as well during the raid.”
While investigators were searching the home, police said they discovered several puppies hidden inside a closet and beneath a hutch in the home.
Gloria Sears, 57, is facing charges under both the Criminal Code and the Animal Protection Act (APA) with causing animals to be in distress and failing to provide adequate care.
— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News