Shipment of dead dogs lands at Pearson Airport, investigation underway

A shipment of puppies that was being flown in from Ukraine to Toronto over the weekend arrived with a significant amount of them dead, according to City News.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed that the shipment of around 500 puppies arrived with 38 of the dogs dead and many more that were vomiting, shaking or suffering from dehydration.

Just Paws Animal Rescue, a not-for-profit organization, believes the dogs were being imported into Canada for purpose of brokers to sell them on Kijiji.

The Ukraine airline responsible for transporting them, Ukraine International Airlines, wrote on Facebook that they were unaware that any animals had died on that flight. The post has since been deleted.

The airline did however late comment to say that the transportation of thoroughbred puppies, “carries a certain calculated risk,” and saying that, “senders, nevertheless consciously take the risk, since the business of breeders of purebred dogs and cats is some of the most competitive and high-margin ones.”

The airline went on to offer their condolences in a statement that said they were “working with local authorities to determine what happened, and to make any changes necessary to prevent such a situation from occurring again.”

CFIA officials are also conducting their own investigation into just how the puppies died. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for regulating the animals that are imported into Canada.