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Alberta SPCA officers were shocked to discover 201 dogs in distress — some emaciated and dehydrated with broken limbs and sores — on a southern Alberta property, resulting in the largest removal of dogs in the agency’s history.

The Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society, or AARCS, which took ownership of the animals, called it “one of the worse cases of neglect” the organization has ever seen.

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Two of the dogs later died — one succumbed to injury and the other was euthanized for health reasons.

Peace officers were first called to the rural property near Milk River in December after a member of the public notified the SPCA with concerns about the animals’ welfare.

When they arrived, they were able to convince the owner to voluntarily surrender 60 of the dogs, which meant officers were able to immediately transfer ownership to animal rescue and adoption agencies.

“We knew there were still dogs on the property,” said Roland Lines, spokesman with the Alberta SPCA, adding it was estimated the 60 dogs represented half of the total number of animals on the property.