The BC SPCA says it will be recommending animal cruelty charges to Crown Counsel after having seized 46 neglected dogs and puppies from a rural property north of Williams Lake late last week.
“The way it works is we’re the enforcement arm of this so we gather all of the evidence,” says manager of community relations Lorie Chortyk.
“We’re currently gathering all of the information from the site, from the veterinary reports, all of the evidence that will go into a report to Crown Counsel. Then Crown Counsel that will decide whether to move forward with charges.”
The animals which are all large breed dogs-American Eskimo, border collie, husky, and Samoyed crosses are in the care of the SPCA and are currently receiving round the clock emergency care to reduce their emotional distress to get them to the point where they can eat and drink.
“These dogs are also highly fearful and unsocialized so we’re really dealing with helping with the psychological distress of the animals,” says Chortyk adding that they have their top behavior experts working with them.
“They really are frightened animals.”
The animals were seized from the rural property due to serious concerns on sanitation, their lack of shelter, and veterinary care.