MIRABEL, Que. - Most of the 527 dogs seized from a puppy mill in September have found new homes, and while the rest wait, they're getting plenty of love.
At a makeshift shelter in Lachute, the remaining dogs from the massive seizure are well cared for, with the proper amount of exercise and food.
"The past couple of weeks have been very exciting, knowing they're going on to their next life which is going to be better than anything they've ever had before," said shelter director Connie Brooks.
Inspectors confiscated the dogs from the Paws "R" Us Kennel, a dog breeding facility in Clarendon Township, about 90 minutes northwest of Ottawa in the Outaouais.
Authorities said it was the largest puppy mill in Canada.
The dogs were malnourished and some suffered serious health problems. About 150 of the dogs required around-the-clock care. The dogs' ailments range from eye infections to respiratory problems.
Their lives have changed drastically, said Brooks.
"When they first got here, they were very fearful and scared because they'd never seen or felt love attention. They never had that in their life before," she said.
That love has come from far and wide. There have been a more than 1,000 adoption requests and in just over one week, more than half the dogs have already found new homes.
"Some people have been amazing… they say, ‘I don't mind what kind of dog you give us, I don't care how old, we just want to help in any way we can,'" said Lauren Scott from the Humane Society.
The Humane Society is still working to get all the dogs in new homes by the holidays, but they're also ensuring the right family gets the right dog.
"It would be very easy to place them automatically into a home, but we want to make sure it's a right fit, and of course we're getting all these dogs viewed by a (behaviour specialist) before going out. They're all being spayed or neutered," said Scott.
