An animal defense and rescue group is racing to bring as many dogs to Ontario as possible before a nationwide ban goes into effect at the end of the month.
On September 28, a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ban on the importation of dogs from more than 100 countries considered to be at high risk for canine rabies will be activated.
Jeffrey Beri, the founder of no dog left behindhe hopes to bring just under 50 dogs from Pakistan, East Asia, to Mississauga sometime this week before that happens.
“We’re in a rush,” he told CTV News Toronto. “There are rescue teams from all over the world contacting us and asking for our support in evacuating survivors to defeat the ban.”
(It will be) probably the last flight to Canada.”
The ban, which was announced in late June, means that commercial dogs for resale, adoption, fostering or breeding will be banned from entering the country.
“Currently, Canada does not have any active cases of canine rabies, a strain that is different from rabies typically found in wildlife such as skunks, foxes, raccoons and bats. However, in 2021, dogs were imported into Canada with this disease,” the government said. in a press release issued on June 28.
“Following these events, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and provincial public health authorities have asked the CFIA to take action to address the risks from imported dogs.”
The agency said that rabies can be fatal to humans and dogs once they begin to experience symptoms and that importation of even a single animal with the disease could lead to transmission.
Beri said all dogs rescued by No Dogs Left Behind undergo what’s called a titer test, which measures the level of antibodies against specific diseases, including rabies. In other areas of the world, Beri says that certification tests are mandatory for the importation of dogs.
“This practice needs to be adopted and it’s expensive, don’t get me wrong, but this is what the bailout is going to protect,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”
A No Dogs Left Behind volunteer is seen in this undated photograph with a rescued animal. (Provided by No Dogs Left Behind)No Dogs Left Behind is an organization based in the US, but moved its operations to Canada after a similar ban was implemented, building a “safe house” in Scarborough.
Since then, the US ban has been temporarily suspended, with an exemption that allows dogs from high-risk countries to cross the border as long as they meet certain vaccination criteria. Beri said the organization will likely return to the south if Canada doesn’t implement its own waiver.
“It is a great blow so that no dog is left behind. And it is a great blow to rescue.”
Canadian animal protection group Animal Justice launched a petition when the ban was first announced, requiring exemptions based on humanitarian or rescue efforts. They argued that the move is devastating for volunteers and dogs in war-torn countries. They also allege that the CFIA failed to consult with Canadian dog rescue agencies before announcing the ban.
Over the past month, various animal protection groups have been left fighting. Earlier this month, Golden Rescue, a Canadian animal protection and adoption organization, told CTV News Barrie they hope to bring in more than 130 dogs before the ban is implemented.
They also say that the dogs they rescue are vaccinated against rabies at least 45 days before travel.
A No Dogs Left Behind volunteer is seen in this undated photograph with a rescued animal. (Provided by No Dogs Left Behind)For Bari, he wishes he could bring hundreds more dogs abroad before the ban takes effect, but he is restricted on space in the safe house.
“We are very excited that we are going to give these dogs a second chance at life,” he said. “But I have to say that there needs to be a voice for the Canadian government that doesn’t have to be all or nothing. And they need to meet with rescues, like No Dogs Left Behind, to talk about how to create a win-win solution, not just for dogs, but for people as well.”