A Humane Solution For More Than 200 Roaming Dogs In Native Community In Québec

Brome Lake, Quebec – Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is caring for nearly 100 unclaimed dogs and five surrendered cats at a temporary shelter ARC set up at the Brome Lake Fairgrounds about seven hours south of Lac Simon where they were removed from a native community at the request of their governing body.

Each dog – terriers, collies, huskies, labs, Rottweilers, mixes of these breeds, a Great Dane, a St. Bernard and even a few Maltese – has received a veterinary exam and vaccinations. Daily care will be provided by ARC until the dogs are placed with and can be transported to partner shelters and rescue groups in Canada and the U.S. In the meantime, ARC is in need of blankets, towels and volunteers.

ARC collected more than 200 roaming dogs this past weekend from a First Nation community about six hours north of Montreal at the request of the Conseil de la Nation Anishnabe de Lac Simon. The Lac Simon community has had a large population of roaming dogs for more than 30 years and the traditional method of addressing the issue was through “culls” or “roundups”, during which animals were captured then put to death by means of gassing or shooting.

ARC also operated a free sterilization clinic and veterinarians from the Clinique Veterinaire du Vieux Village worked over the weekend to sterilize more than 160 of the residents’ animals.

“It has been an honor to work with the leaders and residents of Lac Simon to give them a humane and lasting solution to their roaming dog issue at no cost to their community,” said ARC President Scotlund Haisley. “These dogs are so resilient and their fur is apparently made of Velcro because we can barely separate ourselves from them when they press their bodies into ours.”

Animal Rescue Corps performed this rescue in conjunction with: Ady Gil World Conservation, American Dog Rescue, The Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation, Animal Adoption Montreal, Robin Sugg, Cathy Kangas, Margaret Marshall and DART Nova Scotia. The International Fund for Animal Welfare donated much‐needed medical supplies to make this operation possible.

Anyone wishing to donate or volunteer to support the rescue efforts should visit www.animalrescuecorps.org/ways‐to‐help or email info@animalrescuecorps.org. For more information about Animal Rescue Corps, please visit www.animalrescuecorps.org.

 

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Press Release by  Media Contact: Michael Cunningham