Humane Society International/Canada Welcomes Agreement Banning Paws R Us from Breeding Dogs for Two Years

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - June 22, 2012) - Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of Humane Society International/Canada, issued the following statement in response to the agreement reached by Agriculture Quebec and the owners of Paws R Us.

"HSI/Canada witnessed firsthand the devastating conditions hundreds of dogs and puppies were forced to endure in the Paws R Us facility. This operation was one of the worst our Animal Rescue Team has ever witnessed in North America, with hundreds of dogs confined in substandard conditions and denied adequate food, veterinary care and socialization. Our staff and volunteers spent months helping these neglected dogs to recover enough so they could be placed into forever homes.

We are pleased that this agreement will prevent Paws R Us from operating a commercial breeding facility for two years, which is the maximum time Quebec law allowed for until last week. We wish Paws R Us could have been charged under the new regulations, which would have allowed for a lifetime ban-a measure we feel would have been appropriate in this case.

The fact that Paws R Us could be back in business in two years time is highly problematic. It took hundreds of volunteers and hundreds of thousands of dollars to deal with the problems that this operation caused by putting profits above animal welfare. For the sake of the animals and the Quebec public, this kind of facility should be shut down forever.

People can help stop puppy mills by choosing to adopt a deserving dog in a shelter instead of purchasing dogs in pet stores or online or in any case where the breeding facility cannot be inspected."

BACKGROUND:

In September 2011, Humane Society International, in partnership with Agriculture Quebec and local law enforcement, rescued more than 525 dogs and puppies from Canada's largest commercial breeding facility, Paws R Us in Outaouais, Quebec.

HSI/Canada operated an emergency shelter in cooperation with the Quebec government to care for and rehabilitate the dogs for more than three months. Hundreds of trained volunteers from across North America staffed the emergency shelter during this time.

In November 2011, a settlement was reached with Paws R Us, which granted legal custody of the more than 600 dogs and puppies to the Quebec government. HSI/Canada then worked in partnership with SPAs, SPCAs and humane societies in Quebec and Ontario, in addition to more than 30 rescue groups from across Canada and the United States, to find loving homes for the rescued dogs and puppies.

Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, representing tens of thousands of members and constituents across the country. HSI/Canada has active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation and farm animal welfare. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International-one of the largest animal protection organizations in the world, with more than eleven million members and constituents globally-on the Web at hsicanada.ca.