Rescued Afghanistan dogs arrive at Toronto sanctuary
A mixed-breed street dog named Papo chased toys and rolled around in the sun on a recent clear day at an east Toronto dog sanctuary.
It's a change of pace for Papo after a long journey from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan to Canada, where she arrived last month along with 10 other dogs who were evacuated from the country by the animal welfare group No Dogs Left Behind.
Group spokesman Jeffrey Beri said the organization has brought hundreds of dogs and cats from Kabul to Canada since January, after the animals were left behind when U.S. troops withdrew from the country last summer.
"I hope that they get the love and attention that they so well deserve," Beri said of the Afghan dogs' new lives in Canada.
The final 10 dogs to arrive were either too young or not strong enough to travel on the initial flight in January. The organization now aims to get them fostered and adopted to new homes as quickly as possible, once they are rehabilitated and vetted.
When dogs first arrive to the No Dogs Left Behind safehouse, Beri said they're often traumatized and must begin a process of rehabilitation to trust humans again.
Consistency and routine are important factors for the dogs' rehabilitation, he said. Rescue dogs at the sanctuary have very strict schedules for eating, going outside, having their shelters cleaned and socializing with other dogs.
It was a complicated journey for the animals. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention banned the importation of dogs to the U.S. from countries it considers to be high risk for dog rabies, including Afghanistan,Beri said it became more difficult for the dogs to be brought to safety.
Papo, a rescue from Afghanistan that arrived in Canada on June 24, is photographed at No Dogs Left Behind in Toronto, on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. Papo, who was too young to transport earlier this year, was one the last 10 of the mixed-breed street dogs from Afghanistan to have arrived at the sanctuary. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
In January, Beri said he spent two weeks in Afghanistan assessing dogs in the care of Kabul Small Animal Rescue. He then loaded them into a private cargo plane and accompanied the animals on the trip to begin their new lives in Canada.
"At the end, the Afghans gave free passage out for the dogs, I do commend them for that," he said.
Back in Toronto, Beri recalled an emotional family reunion at the animal sanctuary this week when the father of Papo's three puppies arrived days after the three young dogs.
"We were all crying," said Beri. "He's here, he's free, he couldn't be happier to see Papo and Papo couldn't be happier to see him."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.