By The Canadian Press

SPCA hopes for charges after 82 cats and dogs seized in Surrey, B.C.

Feb 17, 2016 | 1:09 AM

SURREY, B.C. — Eight-two cats and dogs have been rescued from a Surrey, B.C., boarding and breeding facility that failed to adequately care for the animals, the SPCA’s chief enforcement officer says.

Marcie Moriarty said one cat and one kitten were in such critical distress that veterinarians had no choice but to euthanize them hours after the seizure Tuesday.

She said 67 cats are being cared for in Surrey while 15 dogs are being looked after in Chilliwack.

It may be weeks before the animals could be adopted, Moriarty said.

Most of the cats were Persians and short-haired exotics and the dogs included four French bulldogs, a Boston terrier, a Pomeranian with three puppies, a Chihuahua and shiba inu.

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Moriarty said a warrant issued to seize the animals has been sealed so she couldn’t comment on what led officials to the facility or whether it has previously been investigated.

The cats were suffering from various conditions including respiratory issues, ring worm and conjunctivitis, she said Wednesday.

“The other concerns were environmental, in that they weren’t being provided with adequate care in the facility in which they were being housed,” she said.

Moriarty didn’t know how many of the animals were being boarded.

“I have received two emails from individuals who have claimed they have boarded at the facility so we’ll be working with those people to return the animals.”

She said staff are focusing on treating the animals and making them comfortable while completing the investigation and forwarding a report to the Crown for possible charges.

The seizure in Surrey came just over a week after the SPCA seized 66 dogs from an alleged puppy mill in nearby Langley.

Moriarty said the SPCA does about 10,000 cruelty investigations a year and serves 150 warrants annually, adding the latest seizure is not the largest for the B.C. society.