Officials with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals say 30 dogs from Mishkeegogamang First Nation are en route to the southern part of the province.

"These communities in northwestern Ontario are isolated and they don't have easy access to veterinary care so they want to find homes for the unowned animals in their community," said Judy Decicco, the chair of the society's northern services committee.

The animal welfare agency helps remote communities with relocating unowned dogs when asked, Decicco said, adding that spay and neuter clinics are then made available in the First Nations for people who own their pets.

"Most of the animals that are left behind are owned, so these animals are staying closer to home, she continued.

"The families who own them have said that their personalities are different. They're more sociable and lovable as pets, and they're great dogs, they're absolutely fabulous dogs."

The society also took adoptions from Wabaseemoong Independent Nation this month.

Animals find homes quickly

Starting on Thursday, the dogs from Mishkeegogamang will be transported to Newmarket and then will be distributed to humane societies across southern Ontario. The animals stop off in Newmarket first as that's where the OSPCA is headquartered.

The dogs are subsequently checked over by a vet, groomed and bathed before being put up for adoption.

The animals tend to get adopted quickly, Decicco said, citing recent successes relocating dogs from Whitefish First Nation and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug.

"Some of them are adopted before they even get out on the floor of those humane societies, Decicco said. "All the dogs that have been transferred out from the first two transfers are all adopted. They're all in homes."

It's "absolutely fabulous," how quickly it happens, she added.