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New homes sought for animals seized from rescue operation

Resident running a not-for-profit animal rescue ordered to pay $81,235.50 to SPCA
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Forty-five dogs were among the 88 animals removed from a property on 216 Street in September.

Animals seized by the BC SPCA from a south Langley location last September won’t be returned to their caretaker.

“I have decided to order that the Society be permitted to keep all the animals and no animals will be returned to the Appellant (Sandra Simans),” wrote Corey Van’t Haaff, presiding member of the British Columbia Farm Industry Review Board.

“I note that the Society plans on adopting the animals out  to compassionate people or families capable of providing the animals with appropriate accommodations and care, so that the animals do not once again fall into a state of distress.”

Van’t Haaff also ordered that Simans — the founder of the not-for-profit 1atatime Rescue — must pay more than $81,000 to the SPCA “as the reasonable care costs incurred by the Society with respect to the animals.”

The costs incurred include housing, feeding and caring for the animals, SPCA time spent attending the seizure, and veterinary and grooming costs.

The BC SPCA raided a rental property on 216 Street and removed 45 dogs, 18 cats, one rabbit, one quail, one red-eared slider turtle, five goats, one pot-bellied pig, three ducks, three sheep, five chickens and five pigeons.

After the seizure, three animals (two dogs and one cat) were deemed to be in critical distress and were euthanized.

It wasn’t the first time Simans has had animals taken away from her.

In 2012, the BC SPCA seized 52 dogs and 16 cats from Simans’ rescue organization, which was based in a rental property in Burnaby.

At that time, she said she was rescuing animals from the U.S. and Asia.