Innisfail RCMP arrested 46-year old Karin Adams yesterday after police seized eight dogs from a hotel room.
Sargeant Lori Eiler says they were responding to a complaint and they could hear dogs barking from the room.
Eiler says, after further investigation revealed her history in BC that included a condition that she not own animals, they were concerned for the dogs and entered the room…
“We were concerned about their well being on a couple of fronts, one being just what we were hearing and seeing at the scene, but also knowing her history in British Columbia made us concerned as well. So given the totality of the circumstances we did elect to enter the room. We observed eight dogs in the room, many of them were kept in kennels. The conditions of the room were less than desirable. We contacted Classic Kennels in Alberta. They attended and seized the animals for us to take for medical care, proper care and treatment.”
Eiler says they also received a separate complaint from a woman says she was approached the previous day by a woman matching the description of Karin Adams…
“Who had informed her that she was working with the police, that she was some form of animal control professional, was asking questions about her dog, and stated that she as going to take the dog. Of course the dog owner disagreed with that, said you don’t have a uniform or any ID, we will be keeping our dog. There were some words exchanged and the woman, matching the description, entered a vehicle and left the scene and a photograph was taken of her vehicle.”
Eiler says with that information they became concerned about whether the animals they seized belonged to Adams.
She says they confirmed that at least 7 of the 8 dogs from the hotel room, did in fact belong to her.
Adams is now facing charges of Mischief and Impersonating a Peace Officer as well as 8 counts of failing to obtain a dog license, and one each of harboring more than three dogs, trespassing and driving a motor vehicle without a valid license.
She is due in court on July 31st.
All of this follows the seizure of 16 dogs in distress from a property in Quesnel just a few weeks ago over the Canada Day long weekend.
In that case, they were being cared for by Adams and her daughter Catherine.
The BC SPCA is recommending charges saying those dogs were being kept in crates too small for their size and in a poorly ventilated area, with little or no access to water and with feces and urine soaked matting.
Both were also convicted of animal cruelty back in 2015 following an SPCA investigation.
Their sentence included a 20-year ban on owning animals.
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