Abandoned animals overload Montreal shelters

Radio-Canada's investigation into Berger Blanc, the for-profit pound used by the city of Montreal, has done more than push officials to review their contracts with the company.

It's also causing a spike in the number of abandoned pets left at other shelters and pounds in the Montreal area.

Last April, hidden camera footage showed animal cruelty at Berger Blanc and some of the city's boroughs cancelled their contracts with the pound following the broadcast.

The SPCA's Alanna Devine says every shelter is feeling the effects of the report.

"A lot more people [are] calling and wanting to abandon animals at the SPCA or with other shelters, concerned about taking their animals into a for-profit pound facility," Devine says. "So certainly it's increased the number of animals and the requests for intake of animals that we've had, as well as for other rescues across the island of Montreal."

Devine says the situation is especially dire with Moving Day around the corner, a day that always brings an influx of unwanted pets to the SPCA and other shelters.

The city's executive committee member, Richard Deschamps, says Montrealers need to be educated about abandoning their pets. He also says Berger Blanc is now under strict surveillance and people can trust the pound to treat animals properly.

The city has created a committee to find ways to revamp Montreal's system of animal care.

Critics want the city to create a public shelter for lost and abandoned animals, to better monitor their care.

The demands were made in the wake of the disturbing Radio-Canada documentary on Berger Blanc that exposed problems with the private pound's euthanasia practices.

Eight boroughs still use Berger Blanc for animal population control. Two boroughs cancelled their contracts after the Radio-Canada report was aired.