Canada restricting the import of ‘commercial’ dogs

DNP

So this has been in the news lately and many of the animal advocate groups are enraged about how this is going to impact the ‘rescue organizations’ that bring in dogs from these countries to Canada.

Countries at high-risk for dog rabies – Canadian Food Inspection Agency (canada.ca)

I am in full agreement with this move by the CFIA. For several reasons –

Canada has an abundance of available dogs already in our SPCA’s and other rescue shelters. Canadian dogs who are desperately in need of a good home. Being rescued, cared for and fostered by reputable, registered Canadian non-profit organizations. The recent news has been about how overcrowded and inundated our shelters currently are with so many people surrendering their ‘Covid Puppies’ (and kittens). Many of our local Canadian shelters have had to stop accepting any new animals as they are totally maxed on capacity and are struggling to care for the animals they have in house.
While many of the organizations bringing in rescue dogs are staffed by volunteers, they do solicit donations and may not be reputable, registered Canadian non-profit organizations. Why am I so adamant about an organization’s status? A registered Canadian non-profit organization has conditions on their operations and fiduciary responsibilities to their supporters. Huh? What? This means that they have to produce reports on their operations – stats and numbers etc. on the work that they have done and where/how they have spent donations. They will also provide tax receipts for donations and this helps you.
Canada does not have enough homes for our current animals in need. How do these ‘rescue organizations’ think Canada is going to absorb the millions of needy animals from countries that have much greater population densities than we do? They can’t possibly believe that the importation of a few dogs is going to solve anything – Moving a problem from one place to another does not solve the problem.
In the long run, how does bringing a few lucky dogs from these countries to Canada benefit that country and all the dogs still there? It just doesn’t. It doesn’t raise awareness in that country about animal welfare. It doesn’t educate the people of that country about animal welfare, it doesn’t encourage them to spay and neuter, it doesn’t encourage or educate about better feeding, health care, housing. It doesn’t encourage the people of those countries to value animals more and to look after their own problems.
- Not that we are perfect – we still have many issues and a need to elevate our own treatment of animals in many ways. We would benefit from more programs for spay and neuter and overall education on animal care.

I would much rather see the ‘rescue organizations’ that are importing dogs and other rescue animals into Canada (and the USA) focusing on education and awareness of animal welfare within the originating country. Increasing the value their population places on animals. This would be more benefical in the long run, benefiting more animals and ensuring a better future relationship between animals and people in these countries.

As you can tell from reading my blog – I am very much a skeptic when it comes to charity organizations. I am one of those annoying people who researches every charity and analyzes the work they do. I want to know that my support and money is being used appropriately and is actually contributing to the aid of animals. I don’t support radical actions/activists or disruptive protests. I support common sense responses, education, developing awareness and solutions to problems.