38 dogs die on flight to Toronto

TORONTO — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is investigating after dozens of dogs were found dead or sick at a Toronto airport after a flight from Ukraine.

About 500 puppies landed at Pearson International Airport on June 13, the agency said Saturday. Thirty-eight were found to be dead on arrival. Many others were dehydrated, weak or vomiting.

“CFIA officials are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident and will determine next steps once the investigation is complete,” the agency said.

In a Facebook post, Ukraine International Airlines apologized for the “tragic loss of animal life” on one of its flights. “UIA is working with local authorities to determine what happened and to make any changes necessary to prevent such a situation from occurring again,” it wrote.

Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of the Canadian branch of Humane Society International, called on authorities to get to the bottom of how so many puppies were transported at such high temperatures, possibly in violation of industry animal-safety standards.

“It raises a lot of questions and I definitely think the Canadian public wants answers to these questions,” Aldworth said.

“Responsible airlines will not transfer transport animals in extreme heat, because they know there is a risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and even suffocation. And I would question what airline has the capacity to put 500 dogs on one plane.”