CALGARY -- The Calgary Humane Society is caring for more than a dozen dogs after the animals were removed from a home in a northeast neighbourhood.
Officers responded to a home on Malvern Crescent N.E. at about 9 a.m. Thursday and seized the dogs.
Officials say the call originated from the Calgary Police Service, but would not get into further details.
Hazmat crews were also dispatched to the home because of concerns over the state of the interior.
Approximately 30 dogs of various ages and breeds were taken, but there is no information about the condition the dogs were in when they were found.
Lindsey Maillete lives in the area and watched police remove the animals. She was flabbergasted to see how many dogs had been inside the home.
"There were their dogs that used to bark in the backyard but they were the bigger dogs," said Maillette. " Never did I imagine there's that many dogs."
"It's really sad being an animal lover to see something like that. (It's) not really great."
Ursula Waldeck says she had dog sat for her neighbours in the summer of 2019 and there had been 17 dogs in the house at the time.
"I noticed there wasn't enough food bowls for all the dogs," Waldeck told CTV News. "There wasn't enough water bowls or any water at all."
"I stopped babysitting after a while because I couldn't handle it. I couldn't take care of so many."
Waldeck adds that there were various breeds of dogs inside the home — including Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes — and there was the strong stench of urine in the residence.
There have been no charges laid so far, but authorities could issue those against the dogs' owner in the coming days. Along with those charges, there is the potential for a maximum fine of $20,000.
This is a developing story. It will be updated throughout the afternoon.
