The Humane Society busted a puppy mill north of Montreal and seized 109 live dogs, seven cats and a rabbit.  Other dogs were found dead.

"This is one of, if not the largest, puppy mill raids conducted in Quebec in more than 10 years," said Alanna Devine, acting executive director at the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  "I hope that this will open the eyes of Canadians to the cruelty of the puppymill industry and the gravity of this problem in Quebec. This demonstrates why we are known as the 'puppymill capital of North America'."

The dogs were living in piles of their own feces, and many had open sores and severe skin conditions.  Skeletal remains were found still locked in cages inside the home, and a pile of burned animal remains was found in the rear of the property.

"The conditions at this puppymill were by far the worst Humane Society International has ever seen," said Rebecca Aldworth, director of animal programs for Humane Society International Canada.  "These animals were living in tiny wire cages stacked on top of one another with little or no access to food or water. Ninety per cent of the dogs rescued were severely emaciated, and many needed immediate medical attention."  The live animals were taken to the Montreal SPCA.

Update 9/28/08:  Francesco Coelho told the French-language LCN network he hasn't done anything wrong, and, in fact, saved several of the dogs by finding them at other puppymills in the Eastern Townships, where they were, in fact, mistreated.

Coelho says, the pictures of the raid don't reflect what was really going on there, insisting that his dogs were well treated.

And, he'll be meeting with officials at the SPCA in an effort to get the dogs back.

Update 9/29/08:  The HSUS was called to Montreal to supplement the work of Humane Society International (the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States) in a groundbreaking puppymill bust. After weeks of collaboration with the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, they raided an abusive breeding facility and rescued more than 100 dogs living in horrendous conditions.

  (Photo courtesy of CJAD)  The dogs, ranging from Chinese Cresteds to Dogs de Bordeaux, were housed in tiny wire cages strewn throughout a dilapidated barn and home located on the property. These cages were stacked to the ceiling in some places, and filled with feces and mud. Ninety percent of the animals we rescued were nothing but skin and bones. Many were so frail that they could barely lift their heads as they were carried out to safety.

The HSUS team found the skeletal remains of several dogs still locked inside their cages.  The scene in the ramshackle barn was especially gruesome. The conditions were so horrific that the team was surprised they found any live animals in that structure. The barn was filled with wooden boxes and wire cages about four feet tall with no doors or openings. Several matted dogs were crammed into each filthy enclosure. The only way to get a dog in these cages would be to literally throw them in and seal the top behind them. The design of these enclosures made it almost impossible to get any food or water in to the dogs. The team had to physically pry these death traps apart just to get the dogs out.

“Things were not much better inside the house. The team had to search in places that the average person would never dream of keeping a dog. The team found animals in every nook and cranny of that house. At one point they rounded a corner to find a small closet door. Inside they found several cages of dogs crammed into the dank space. In the midst of these cages they found a plastic storage container sealed with a closed lid. Inside there was a small beagle who had been left there to die. The team thought he had already passed away until he took several shallow breaths. He was rushed directly to the shelter for veterinary care, but he did not make it alive. This dog spent his last days inside a sealed plastic coffin.

“The horrors inside the house culminated in the basement, where dogs were kept in a dungeon of wire hutches. The smell of feces and ammonia in this pit nearly overwhelmed the team as they struggled to free the dogs. One cage held a tiny Lhasa Apso puppy less than a week old who looked especially weak, his body ice-cold and fading fast. The pup was rushed to the emergency shelter for the immediate care. The shelter’s vets stated that he has improved slowly over the past day, and is expected to make a full recovery. He is one of several dogs saved who would not have survived another day of neglect and abuse”.

All 110 dogs who were rescued were transported back to the emergency shelter, evaluated by a team of veterinarians and given necessary immediate medical attention.   CSPCA’s shelter was not equipped to take in such a large influx of dogs, so the HSUS team worked with CSPCA to convert a training facility into an emergency shelter.

Update 10/31/08:  Coelho, 41, an unemployed Rawdon man from the Lanaudière region, appeared before Judge Paul Chevalier at the Palais de Justice Joiliette of the Court of Quebec.

Coelho has agreed to plead guilty to a charge of criminal negligence. In return, the Crown withdrew charges of cruelty to animals.

The judge sentenced him to probation for three years.  Coelho will perform 180 hours of community service and pay a fine of $3200 at a cost of $100 per month for 32 months.

Crown prosecutor Pierre Loranger withdrew a charge of animal cruelty against Coelho, whose home was raided Sept. 26 by animal health inspectors and the Sûreté du Québec.

Coelho has no criminal record, and was not running a "puppy mill" for profit, Loranger said. The dog owner co-operated with authorities, he added, and surrendered his animals to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Coelho, who is allowed to keep no more than three animals during his probation, has since moved his family to Montreal, the prosecutor said.

Alanna Devine, acting executive director of the Montreal SPCA, says Coelho's sentence was "completely inadequate," given the crime.  The transport, care and rehabilitation of animals seized from Coelho have cost $100,000, Devine said. Most of the money has come from corporate donors and animal-rights organizations, she noted.  Prison terms would act as a greater deterrent to animal abuse, Devine said.

Reference:

The Gazette