About 26 rescue dogs travel from shelters Texas to N.S. to find homes

HALIFAX — Dozens of stray dogs facing uncertain futures in storm-damaged Texas are now settling into foster homes in Nova Scotia.

Volunteers with the Save A Life Canada Animal Rescue Society arrived in Dartmouth late Tuesday with a van load of rescue dogs from high-kill shelters in the San Antonio area.

Rescue director Becki Carpenter said the 26 dogs were already in shelters before hurricane Harvey hit last month, but she wanted to ensure that dogs in the outlying areas were not forgotten about.

“It is an absolute fabulous feeling to know that they’re here, they’re free, they’re not at risk of being put to sleep anymore,” she said.

The dogs will remain with their foster families for the next two weeks while the group begins processing adoption applications for permanent homes.

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Carpenter told Global News the conditions in San Antonio are poor and shelters are full, with many dogs being put down to make way for daily arrivals of strays.

“The devastation is just as bad on a regular day. It’s not storm devastation, its just very, very poor conditions,” said Carpenter. “Stray dogs (are) everywhere, the shelters are full. Dogs get put down every day just to make room for the new dogs that are coming in.”

Her group rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in places like Texas, California and Oklahoma, with about a quarter of its rescues also coming from surrender situations in Atlantic Canada.

She said dogs are not put to sleep due to overcrowding in Nova Scotia, while an average of 7,000 dogs are euthanized every day in shelters across the U.S.

(Global News)

The Canadian Press