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Dogs seized from Brentwood Bay home now up for adoption

Custody of 36 dogs signed over to the SPCA after 44 were taken over concerns for their health and safety.
BCSPCA photo
The B.C. SPCA seized 45 poodle-bichon frise dogs from a man they say was hoarding them on his Brentwood Bay property.

Thirty-six of the 44 dogs seized from a Brentwood Bay home on January 9 are being put up for adoption.

The B.C. SPCA seized 45 poodle-bichon frise cross dogs from the home (including one that was dead) after they became concerned for their welfare. The owner of the property had been hoarding the dogs and irregularly breeding them, according to the SPCA.

"There were so many dogs in there that there was no way the man could have taken care of them," said Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the B.C. SPCA.

She noted on Jan. 10 that the agency had to act as the situation met the definition of distress under the animal cruelty act. Chortyk said the SPCA had concerns about the owner and had met with him before, with limited success in getting him to give up some of the dogs to a local rescue group or to other homes.

She said at the time that the man had 14 days to apply for custody of the dogs, which are being taken care of at the SPCA's Victoria branch, being treated for any medical issues and generally cleaned up.

On Jan. 17, the SPCA announced the man had signed over custody of 36 of the dogs to the agency, which is now seeking new homes for 27 adult dogs and nine puppies. Custody of the eight remaining dogs is in a legal process. Chortyk said the investigation is ongoing and since no formal charges have been recommended, the man is not being named.

Adoption application forms are available online at spca.bc.ca/adopt. They can be emailed to the Victoria SPCA Branch at Victoria@spca.bc.ca or dropped off at the shelter at 3150 Napier Lane, Victoria. The branch will review the applications and will call to set up appointments with potential adopters next week, once all the dogs have been spayed and neutered.