B.C. man faces animal cruelty charges after 46 dogs seized
Neglected dogs seized in February SPCA raid in Williams Lake
A B.C. man has been charged with animal cruelty following an SPCA raid in February that saw 46 dogs seized from his rural Williams Lake property.
Terry Baker has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Marcie Moriarty, the chief prevention and enforcement officer for the B.C. SPCA said in a statement the dogs were seized due to poor living conditions, including a lack of adequate shelter, sanitation and veterinary care.
Moriarty also said the dogs were terrified of human contact.
"One of the complications was that several of the dogs were pregnant and gave birth shortly after coming into SPCA care but were too frightened to let staff near them or their puppies," Moriarty said in a news release.
All but 8 dogs adopted
According to the SPCA, the dogs seized included border collies, huskies, Samoyeds and American Eskimos.
Moriarty said in the release that only eight remain in SPCA care — the rest have been successfully rehabilitated and adopted.
In 2016, Baker had 70 dogs seized from his farm near Regina. where he was living at the time.
If convicted of the most recent charges, Baker could face a lifetime ban on owing animals, a $10,000 fine and up to five years in jail.
Unrelated dog seizure in Quesnel
In an unrelated incident, Moriarty says 16 dogs were seized in Quesnel. She says the dogs were being kept in crates too small for their size.
Moriarty says Karin and Catherine Adams were convicted of animal cruelty two years ago but were recently found to have kept dogs in a poorly ventilated area, with little or no access to water and with feces and urine-soaked matting.
She says the dogs, including German shepherds, bull terriers, standard poodles and corgi-border collie crosses, are in SPCA shelters and new charges of animal cruelty will be recommended against the Adams.
With files from the Canadian Press.