Critter Chatter

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Few Canadians are aware that Quebec, famous for its unique and fascinating historical and cultural heritage, has another, less desirable reputation: it is well known among animal advocates as the worst region in the country for puppy mills, according to a press release from the Humane Society International/Canada.

On Sept. 26, an investigation by HSI Canada, the Montreal SPCA and local law enforcement officials culminated in a raid on what the director of emergency services called "the most horrific conditions of any puppy mill our team has ever encountered."

The smell of urine and feces was overpowering; in one of the rooms music was playing at unbearably loud levels to drown out the noise of the dogs' desperate barking; many of the dogs were housed in a dark basement.

The team found 110 dogs, seven cats and one rabbit living in appalling conditions. And 90 per cent of the dogs were emaciated, with open sores and parasites, stacked in wire cages from floor to ceiling, some hidden behind closet doors in a house of horrors.

Out in the sunshine and fresh air, many for the first time, the liberated animals are now on their way to the Montreal SPCA, where that organization and HSI/Canada have set up an emergency shelter to temporarily house the 118 survivors of this tragic scene.

It is estimated that Quebec has more than 1,500 unregulated puppy mills in operation; it is unknown how many exist in Ontario, but with the help of the Internet, puppy millers and backyard breeders are now able to hide behind elaborate web sites and sell their puppies online. Other puppies end up being shipped and sold via brokers through a variety of venues such as flea markets and pet stores.

If you do not wish to support the puppy mill industry it's vitally important you do your research and become a responsible, knowledgeable consumer.

Ironically, the press release about the Quebec puppy mill bust came on the heels of another press release from a local humane society announcing that October is National Adopt a Homeless Dog Month.

Each year in Ontario, tens of thousands of homeless dogs seek love, care and a second chance. These dogs are victims of human circumstance and find themselves homeless through no fault of their own.

Advantages of adopting a dog from a shelter or reputable rescue organization include:

- Adult dogs in general are already house-trained and often only need some reminders and a few days of adjustment in their new homes;

- Adopting a homeless dog teaches children about the moral benefits of saving the life of a displaced pet;

- Many shelter/rescue dogs already know some basic commands taught in their first home or by shelter/foster volunteers;

- Adopted adult dogs make fewer trips to the veterinarian. Puppies need a series of vaccines, spaying or neutering and maybe an emergency trip or two because they chewed or swallowed something. When you adopt a dog, it is vetted, current with all shots, altered and microchipped;

- You get a good match. Shelter and rescues do extensive evaluating of both their dogs and their applicants to be sure that both dog and family will be compatible;

- Second chance dogs can and do bond with their new families. Dogs that have lost their families to death, divorce or lifestyle change often go through a period of mourning, but can and do love and bond again.

- By adopting a shelter/rescue dog, you are not supporting the puppy mill industry.

To learn more about puppy mills, visit www.nopuppymillscanada.ca.