10 animals found abandoned outside Winnipeg Humane Society

The general manager of the City of Winnipeg's Animal Services Agency is renewing calls for owners not to abandon their pets.

"If you're in a position where you have a pet you can no longer care for, you need to talk to your friends, family, coworkers, Facebook community groups," said Leland Gordon. "Do absolutely everything you can before you consider bringing your dog or cat to an animal shelter or a rescue."

Gordon made the commentsto CBC after the Winnipeg Humane Society posted on social media about staff finding 10 abandoned animals on their doorstep Saturday morning.

The WHS said in a Facebook post Saturday staff found a dog tied to a tree, a box of six rats and a mothercat with two kittens.

Images attached to the post show the dog was left with a note that reads in part "have to work out of town, this is last resort. Sorry!"

The box of rats was left with a note from the owner explaining their boyfriend threw them out and "told me he was going to drown" the animals. The note explained the person who the rats belonged to can't look after them because they're homeless.

"They're scared and so am I," part of the note reads. "Will send money when I getsituated. Living in my car right now."

The humane society said in its Facebook post staff realize the owners were likely trying to help their pets by bringing them to the shelter, but abandoning animals outside or overnight leaves them at risk.

The post cited resources like emergency boarding, low-cost vet care and SafePet, a program helping "individuals leaving abusive partners by providing temporary housing for their pets," according to the organization's website.

The post also said if people do need to surrender their animals, they should contact the organization. It also said none of the animals are available for adoption yet.

Meanwhile, Gordon said shelters like the WHS and animal services are seeing very high levels of "unwanted" animals in their facilities. Right now animal services has 34 dogs in its facility, but its comfort capacity is around 20, he said.

He also said many dogs that come into animal services aren't spayed and neutered, licensed orvaccinated.

"The numbers that we're seeing are sustained," said Gordon. "In other words, they're just not going down."

Gordon said owners should also be cautious aboutleaving their animals outside at shelters.

"Don't just drop the the pet overnight outside in a box," he said. "Something bad can happen.

"It could be taken away, there could be wildlife out there that could do something to it, so don't abandon it."

Humane Society CEO Jessica Miller was not immediately available to comment.