Niagara Dog Rescue, Manitoba groups work to re-home strays and dogs surrendered after wildfires

Ernie the dog has a home thanks to the efforts of rescue organizations in Manitoba and Ontario.

And he's not the only animal being given a chance to have a place to belong.

A week ago, Gwen Leong and other volunteers from Niagara Dog Rescue brought about 30 dogs from Fisher River Cree Nation to Grimsby, Ont., following a spay, neuter and vaccine clinic.

Ernie, a "gentle giant," was among dogs that were either stray or surrendered for adoption, Leong said.

Community members had asked Niagara Dog Rescue to take the Great Pyrenees-Saint Bernard mix in, along with dozens of others, he said. The dogs also were putting a strain on northern Manitoba communities, some of which were impacted by wildfires.  

"He was a big guy and just sort of eating their food," Leong said.

"We knew where he was, and every day we would try and make friends with him and say, 'We're going to come for you at the end of the trip."

Although Fisher River was not directly affected by the wildfires in Manitoba this spring, some of the dogs from the First Nation had been surrendered, Leong said. They included two expectant dogs that are now in Ontario. One was due to give birth just as Leong spoke to CBC Hamilton on June 26.

Niagara Dog Rescue is run by volunteers and relies on a network of about 150 foster homes as it doesn't have a kennel. 

"Our work is global," Roci Freeman, the dog rescue's Oakville, Ont.-based executive director.

The organization has picked up dogs from as far away as Ukraine, Mexico and the Caribbean region. It began working with Fisher River two years ago and built relationships with Manitoba rescue groups to take in dogs from throughout that province. 

Members from multiple groups, including The Ark Project, which managed the animal clinic, travelled to Fisher River the weekend of June 21. 

The Ark Project, which is based in Winnipeg, works with First Nations communities to spay, neuter and vaccinate pets, find homes for animals in need and provide pet supplies. This was the 10th year it's held a clinic in Fisher River, Kayla Simpson, an Ark Project volunteer, told CBC Hamilton via text message. Seventy animals were fixed and approximately 40 were vaccinated, she said. 

Such annual clinics are part of the volunteer-run group's regular operations, Simpson said, and something they're working to continue as there's more need due to the wildfires.

She said hundreds of animals were left behind when people evacuated their homes and several rescues have provided support, including fostering animals until people return for them. 

Plans in the works for another trip

Simpson said it was "great" having Niagara Dog Rescue join her team at the clinic. The Ark Project regularly works with other rescues to find homes for stray and surrendered animals in and around Toronto and Vancouver, where there are more people looking to adopt, she said.

"We need to focus on prevention in Manitoba, providing spay/neuter clinics wherever possible to keep pets healthy and reduce the strain on the population here. One rescue alone cannot solve all animal welfare issues in the country, so having rescues willing to work together is necessary to help the collective population." 

On their last day in Fisher River, people with Niagara Dog Rescue took Ernie to the clinic, where he was neutered, received vaccines and had some 150 ticks removed, Leong said. He seemed unsure at first, but quickly settled down on the 18-hour drive to Ontario.

Niagara Dog Rescue took in Ernie's mother about eight months ago, along with eight of her puppies from a different litter. Soon after arriving in Ontario, a woman who adopted one of his siblings also asked to give Ernie a home. 

"It's just a beautiful story from where he was five days ago to where he's going to be for the rest of his life," Leong said. "It's obviously very heartwarming and joyful for us to see these stories, and I think it's what drives us to do more, and to help more and to continue our work there."

She said her team is already planning their next trip to Fisher River to get another 20 dogs that weren't ready to travel.

The group said people looking to adopt or foster the dogs can get in touch through the organization's website.