-- Dog who accompanied migrants may stay in Canada --
VANCOUVER, Aug 16 (Reuters) - More than 100 Chinese
migrants who journeyed to Canada last week face the prospect of
being sent back to China, while a dog who accompanied them on
their Pacific Ocean crossing was likely to get a new home.
"She's a very well-mannered, very nice dog. Kind of
frightened, kind of scared, kind of bewildered, but she'll do
OK," Lynn West, an official with the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals in Victoria, said on Monday.
The dog is in good shape despite having spent nearly 60
days at sea on the fishing trawler that was suspected of
smuggling the migrants, West added.
West said the dog apparently belonged to one member of the
boat's nine-member South Korean crew. They were detained after
the boat arrived in Canada last week and face smuggling
charges.
West predicted the dog would have little difficulty in
finding a Canadian home, in contrast to the boat people whose
arrival has prompted calls for toughening Canada's laws against
illegal immigration.
"Curious isn't it?" West told Reuters.
Canadian immigration officials said many of the people on
the boat have indicated they made the trip from China to
improve their economic condition, a reason that would not allow
them to remain as refugees.
REUTERS
Source RTR - Reuters News Service
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