The Fredericton SPCA says 45 dogs that were living in deplorable conditions in northern New Brunswick have been seized.
Workers say the dogs arrived at the SPCA in Fredericton late Tuesday afternoon, seemingly frightened of their new environment and stressed after a three-hour drive.
But the SPCA says that's nothing compared to the conditions some of the dogs were found living in last week in St. Basile, near Edmundston.
"It was not a clean environment," says the SPCA's chief animal protection officer, Paul Melanson. "At present there are still five dogs under vet care for their condition and they've been in vet care since being seized."
Melanson says one of those five dogs died over the weekend, while 15 were sent to the Fredericton SPCA. The remaining 25 were sent to nearby Oromocto.
"I have been told that a lot of them do have ear infections so we will certainly be getting them medical attention for that," says Margot Bird, executive director of the Fredericton SPCA.
Officials seized 149 dogs from the same area of New Brunswick in October and while there is nothing to indicate the latest case is connected to the previous seizure, the SPCA says they are keeping a close eye on the area.
"There are quite a few kennels being operated there," says Melanson. "Some are licensed; there are a lot that are not. And what's happening, people are looking to buy and they're getting in and seeing the conditions and they're reporting the conditions they're finding in some of the kennels."
Authorities haven't released many details about who owned the kennel, other than saying it was located outside of a residence.
No charges have been laid at this point but the SPCA says it will be seeking charges with the Crown prosecutor.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore
