CALGARY - As their former owner faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of a peace officer, many of the dogs seized from a rural property near Priddis are adjusting well and on their way to finding forever homes.
?From what I?ve heard in talking to our officers and vets, they have settled down a lot from the first night during their initial removal from the property,? said Roland Lines, spokesman with the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The dogs have come a long way since being seized in mid-August from the site south of Calgary where a homicide investigation took place.
Peace officer Rod Lazenby was fatally injured while investigating an animal complaint at the property. Trevor Kloschinsky has been charged with first-degree murder.
When officers first tried to approach the 41 canines ? most of them blue heelers or Australian cattle dogs ? many were timid and refused to let anyone get close. Catcher?s poles were needed to corral them, said Lines.
Upon examination, the dogs were found to have broken teeth, small scars and cuts, and required veterinary attention. One later died of complications from an infection.
Four are still being held by the ASPCA for further assessments due to ?concerns with their behaviour,? Lines said. But the 36 remaining dogs are healthy and thriving in the care of animal agencies that have taken them in. And about 14 of them are now ready to be adopted.
Of the eight dogs taken in by Pound Rescue in Okotoks, all are in foster care and three of the foster homes have applied to adopt the animals, said executive director RJ Bailot.
?The dogs have really come out of their shell,? Bailot said. ?They?re in homes, a more natural environment, and they?ve been given the opportunity to flourish and create bonds with humans.?
Six of the seven dogs taken in by Heaven Can Wait in High River have also been put up for adoption and are being profiled on the shelter?s website, said founder Kim Hessel.
?The Priddis heelers that we have are all doing quite well,? Hessel said in an e-mail. ?They are all such nice-natured dogs, timid but learning to trust people, playful with other dogs, learning to walk on leash and looking for affection from all of us.?
At the Lethbridge Humane Society, five of the dogs just need to be spayed, neutered and vaccinated before being put up for adoption, said manager Barb Grodzicky.
?They?re surprisingly good considering the situation they came from,? she said.
?They were terrified when they came. They?ve become much more social.?
The remaining dogs are in the care of the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society in Calgary, and Lethbridge Animal Services.
Those interested in adopting the dogs should contact the agencies directly.
Prospective adopters need to be aware that heelers are herding dogs and shouldn?t go to homes with small children, as their natural instinct would be to ?nip at the heels? of their herd to gather them together, Grodzicky said.
They may be better suited to more experienced dog owners, she said, adding they also require plenty of exercise.
Kloschinsky did not make any attempts to reclaim the animals, Lines said.
Charges under the Animal Protection Act will not be pursued against him given his other legal issues, he added.
This incident, while unusual, speaks to the importance of having a contingency plan in the event an owner cannot take care of his or her pets, Lines said.
?When people haven?t made arrangements, we often encounter animal welfare issues.?
cho@calgaryherald.com
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