100 sled dogs rescued in Laurentians

The owner of 100 neglected sled dogs has turned the animals over to an emergency shelter because he could no longer care for them, officials with the SPCA Laurentides-Labelle and Humane Society International saidTuesday.

"The dogs were chained outside without regular access to adequate food, clean water or shelter," Nikolas Gour, a Humane Society International spokesman, said in a statement.

The dogs were being kept in a former home in an undisclosedtownin the Upper Laurentians, about 35 kilometres north of Mont-Tremblant. They have now been transported to an emergency shelter in Val Morin, Que.,and are being provided with veterinary care, officials said.

The owner agreed to give up the dogs after he was approached by the SPCA, which had received reports about the animals' poor living conditions. But officials said it took months topersuade him to hand the dogsover.

The livingconditions could have gotten much worse because about 30 of the seized dogs were pregnant, saidCorinne Gonzalez, executive director of the SPCA Laurentides-Labelle.

"Without our intervention, the owner could easily have found himself with 150 more puppies when winter is right around the corner," Gonzalez said.

"The puppies would be dead," Gour said." "First of all the mothers wouldn't have enough food to give proper milk. Also, the owner wasn't really taking care of them."

The owner of the dogs will not face charges, officials said.

Theshelter is asking for donations to help pay for the veterinary care needed for the dogs. Officials said the dogs will be sterilized and made available for adoption as soon as possible.

Neglect of sled dogs is a regularly reported problem in Canada, said the animal welfare groups involved in the rescue. They are calling on the provincial and federal governments to pass stronger protection laws.

Sterilization of sled dogs and planning for their care during the eight-month low season, whensledding is not as popular, must be a priority, the groups said.

Last month, the Quebec government presented an action plan aimed at fighting animal cruelty.

The plan includes hiring more inspectors and adopting stricter regulations for the care of pets.

Gonzalez said she believes the new regulations will help prevent casessuch asthis one.

"Money talks, so if there's a big fee at the end either you give up the animal or fix the problem."