Canadian Kennel Club saddened by news of dog deaths, urges regulatory change for safe, legitimate animal importation
June 22, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ETOBICOKE - The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) was deeply saddened by the reports of the death of dozens of dogs on a Ukrainian International Airlines flight from Kyiv to Toronto last week. The CKC is working as an advocate to oppose the mass importation of dogs and associated diseases and they have an appreciation for the complex investigation the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) must undergo to get to the bottom of this tragedy.
The CKC will seek information from the federal government and other involved parties on the whereabouts and the wellbeing of the surviving puppies and dogs and how to help as well as avoid a recurrence.
"Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen such an influx in families wanting new puppies. People have more time, they're home more. Our breed and breeder referral program has seen an increase as high as 400% in the past few months alone," said Lance Novak, CKC's Executive Director.
The CKC would like to remind prospective puppy buyers that puppy brokers often import hundreds of thousands of puppies per year from foreign facilities that lack the standards for care common to Canadians. The best way to prevent incidents such as these is twofold: first, stop supporting individuals and organizations that mass import foreign dogs, and second, develop enforceable regulations that permit the reasonable and safe importation of small numbers of dogs into Canada for legitimate purposes.
When asked for advice for families in search of responsible ways to find a new pet, Lance Novak said: "We encourage anyone interested in a family dog to contact a reputable purebred dog breeder, where prospective puppy buyers can view the conditions where the puppies were raised, and in some cases, returned by those unable to care for their animals."
The Puppy List, accessible from the CKC website, is an excellent resource to connect individuals looking for a purebred dog with CKC member breeders who adhere to a member code of ethics and breeder code of practice, and do not sell their pets at auction, through puppy brokers or to pet stores.
For more information, please contact: Sarah McDowell
Sr. Communications & PR Specialist
smcdowell@ckc.ca
416-674-3697
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Mary Ann
