ADHS rescues northern dogs and puppies : Shelburne Free Press : https://shelburnefreepress.ca

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ADHS rescues northern dogs and puppies

In the dead of the coldest February on record, ADHS dog co-ordinator Emily Day and dog adoption co-ordinator Rhonda Doucette climbed in their vehicle at five in the morning and headed 1340 miles north to the city of Thunder Bay. Little did they know they were en route to travel through snow storms and mechanical troubles – the journey north alone took them 17 hours of continuous driving. They were on a mission to bring 3 adult female huskies and 9 husky puppies back with them to ADHS, allowing them a chance at new lives and families of their own. The progress of these women north and home again was eagerly tracked by hundreds of ADHS Facebook followers and many questions about their stories were eagerly asked by potential adoptive families.
These dogs came from several fly-in remote northern reservation communities north of Thunder Bay. Dogs from reservations such as Bearskin and King Fisher Lake have little access to vet care since the cost is prohibitive and a trip to Thunder Bay is necessary to access vet care. As a consequence, dogs breed, and roam in packs looking for food. Since these packs can pose a safety hazard to humans who may be attacked , these communities allow dog culls, where these canines are shot by hunters. This is obviously a troubling situation for animal welfare groups. For further reading on this situation, seehttp://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/12/31/grim_existence_for_dogs_in_attawapiskat.html
Rescue groups in Ontario work to remove breeding females from these communities, as well as many puppies as possible in order to give them a brighter future and good care. This year the Toronto Humane Society will be holding spay and neuter clinics in these communities for a short period of time in order to help with the problem. ADHS sent care packages full of ties, collars, leashes, medical supplies, dog coats and booties, and more to these northern communities this year in order to help. All item donations to ADHS are used in our shelter while excess items go to other animal shelters or rescues in need in Ontario.
The new canine members of our community are being assessed as of the date of this article and all the puppies are in foster homes. All of these dogs have heavy worm burden, require vaccinations, and several need x-rays. ADHS is awaiting test results to see if any of the adult females are pregnant. The puppies will be released for adoption once they are given a clean bill of health from veterinarians. The adult huskies will be put up for adoption once they are healthy, vaccinated, spayed and micro-chipped.
Why is ADHS able to take in these dogs? ADHS receives a steady stream of abandoned and lost dogs from the townships of Clearview, New Tecumseth, Essa and Adjala–Tosorontio, as well as surrenders from our communities. Often our kennels are full. However, many of our dogs find homes quickly and when we have space, our dog team is able to take in dogs that are facing euthanasia from other areas. Emily is also expanding the use of dog foster homes in 2015 in order to provide a nurturing environment for dogs with special needs. This winter ADHS had a low intake of dogs but a high adoption rate and had space available. Emily, using her rescue contacts, decided our organization should try to make a difference for other Ontario dogs seeking a new beginning and set up the transfer of our new husky dogs, via air, to Thunder Bay. When the original volunteer drivers were sidelined by family issues and illness, Emily and Rhonda took the challenge and did the drive.
The costs of rescuing these dogs include the air fare to Thunder Bay, the road trip costs (paid by the drivers) and the veterinarian care these animals need before they can be adopted. If you would like to contribute to the care of these huskies, please mail a cheque to P.O. Box 1455, Everett, Ontario L0M 1J0. Donations by credit card can be made by at canadahelps.org or by clicking thecanadahelps icon on the home page of our website.http://www.allistonhumane.com/You_Can_Help.html.
Please ensure you specify that your donation is for the northern huskies.

By Jane Clarke, Alliston & District Humane Society Vice President

Post date: 2015-04-01 19:02:59
Post date GMT: 2015-04-01 23:02:59
Post modified date: 2015-04-08 19:03:33
Post modified date GMT: 2015-04-08 23:03:33