B.C. dog rescue groups racing to save animals before import ban begins

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article suggested a dog with rabies was brought in by Furever Freed Dog Rescue. The group has since said the incident happened in eastern Canada and they were not involved.

Dog rescue groups are working against the clock, trying to rescue as many dogs worldwide before a Canada ban on importing commercial dogs begins.

The ban, which starts September 28, includes over 100 countries, including China and Afghanistan.

Rescue groups say the ban is a matter of life and death.

Lisa McGalliard with Furever Freed Dog Rescue says they’re trying to rescue as many at-risk dogs as possible before the ban begins.

“We are raising funds to get them out through cargo, because flight volunteers are really hard to find,” said McGalliard. “It is very, very costly but we have raised enough funds to get about 25 [dogs] out on August 31.”

She says the decision by the federal government was unnecessary and didn’t look at other solutions.

“There’s no reason for Canada to do this. Because there are other ways of going about this,” she said.

“A lot of dogs are going to die because of this ban coming into effect,” she said. “We’re all just really sick about it.”

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McGalliard says while foster support is increasing, her organization still needs more help.

“We are really looking for fosters. A lot of folks have put in applications or fostering which is really great. But we do still need more,” she said.

She’s hoping people will come forward to foster dogs, adding the timing is terrible as fewer people are adopting pets than they were at the peak of the pandemic.

“A lot of people have been turning their dogs over to the SPCA,” she said. “And I have been told that there is a waiting list of 40 to 45 people waiting to return their dogs.”

She says her organization is also getting emails asking to take in dogs, and McGalliard says a few reasons are to play.

“Daily we’re getting emails. A lot of it is to do with housing, that they have gotten new jobs and that their daily routine is different, and they don’t have enough time for their new dog,” she explained.

The Government of Canada says they are enacting the ban due to the risk of rabies.

But McGalliard says she has been bringing dogs into the country for 13 years and is only aware of one incident. Furever Freed Dog Rescue says that incident happened in eastern Canada, and the group was not involved.

“They don’t have to put a ban up. All they have to do is to get a tighter test done on these dogs,” said McGalliard.

She says there are a few ways people can help, including a fundraiser her organization is holding.

“If people can really open their homes and help out with rescues that are trying to get these dogs out,” she said.

Information on how to help Furever Freed Dog Rescue can be found on their website.