A group of animal lovers from Sudbury drove over 12 hours to pick up rescue dogs from Thunder Bay Monday morning.
Volunteers from Pet Save Sudbury returned home with dozens of dogs in hopes of giving them a better life.
The passionate animal advocates picked up 36 dogs, originally from a remote First Nation community eight hours north of Winnipeg, that weren't doing so well.
"Great group of dogs. They came in scared and skittish, but in a day and a half, you can't believe the difference in them." said Jill Pessot of Pet Save.
Early Monday morning, about 30 volunteers helped transport, clean, vaccinate, and care for these animals.
"It was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, very inspiring. It was a great, great group effort." said volunteer, Jennifer Gaudete.
Most of the dogs are now in foster care and will be up for adoption in the next week. Rebecca Collin is a volunteer with the organization and says she is taking one home.
"She caught my eye because she could just go by herself and I just needed a calm dog." said Collin.
Pessot says her organization often takes in animals that are not living in ideal conditions, in remote first nation communities, and she's hoping for change.
"We have talked to several chiefs and I think it's about understanding. Educating the chiefs on the level of care and what's acceptable and what isn't. If we brought in tethering laws provincially and federally, that would eliminate a lot of these problems." said Pessot.
She also says she has already met with MPP Glenn Thibeault to implement stricter province-wide laws, which she believes will help prevent animal cruelty and neglect.
