Abandoned puppies, returned dogs symptoms of post-pandemic plunge in demand for pets

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This article was published 27/03/2023 (987 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Four nearly frozen, severely malnourished puppies found in a box south of the city offers a heartbreaking snapshot of what some Manitoba pet rescues are facing in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The dogs, covered in fleas, were abandoned last week outside of La Salle, about 23 kilometres from the city.

They were placed in the care of Manitoba Underdogs Rescue.

“It’s absolutely disgusting, and horrendous and awful that any living thing, especially an innocent puppy, would be treated this way,” said MUR volunteer Lindsay Gillanders, who began volunteering for the organization in 2014.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a big demand for puppies, she said.

“A dog would come in, a dog would get adopted out,” she said. The problem is, people who adopted pandemic puppies, have returned to school or work and have come to the realization that caring for a dog is a large commitment.

MUR is receiving requests to return animals that were adopted.

“People definitely over-committed,” she said. “They didn’t realize what having a dog would be like in the real world.”

Compounding the problem was an increase in the number of unlicensed backyard breeders who sought to make quick money off the demand.

“Those breeders obviously don’t really know what they’re doing. So now they’ve got more dogs than they can get rid of, and those dogs are meeting horrible ends,” she said. “They’re a product to the people that are breeding them. When you can’t sell that product, you’ve got to get rid of the product.”

The rescue agency, which began in 2011, is over-capacity with more than 100 dogs in its care. Similar to other non-profit rescues, MUR relies on donations to continue operating, executive director Jessica Hansen said.

“We need more funding and a better strategy for dealing with animals in this province,” she said. “We need help, foster homes, donations, food. We need help.”

The organization, which has no shelter, places the rescued animals with foster families and provides all the necessary supplies including food, leashes and collars. It also covers the cost of veterinarian visits.

“We just need people to open their homes… our ability to help dogs is often limited by places to put them,” said Gillanders.

MUR also goes to northern communities in Manitoba to spay and neuter dogs to fight overpopulation. Gillanders said the province needs to step up and provide resources for northern communities with pets.

“These are people that care deeply about their pets, and care deeply about their animals but don’t have access to the services,” she said.

Three of the La Salle-area puppies are in a foster home. The fourth was re-admitted to the vet because of weakness, lethargy and low body temperature.

“Who wants to live in a world where a box of emaciated puppies is found at the side of the road?” said Gillanders.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca