Questions over treatment of abandoned dog

Lori Jenks
Comox Valley Echo

Friday, December 05, 2008

Neighbors of a dog that was left tied to a post beside the Courtenay airpark on the weekend say they are not sure whether to be angry at the dog's owner or at the SPCA.

Neighbors noticed that a mature female German Shepard cross had been tied to a post by a two to three-foot rope behind the Sunwest RV Centre dumpster Saturday night. The dog had been left with no food or water.

The SPCA didn't collect the dog until Monday morning, despite repeated complaints about the abandoned animal on Sunday.

Joan Berndt, SPCA special provincial constable, agreed that the SPCA was aware of the dog on Sunday but said they were told that the animal did have food and water and that the owner has been observed tying the animal at that location during the day and putting it in his van which he would park there for the night since October.

"When our office is closed we are available 24/7 for critical distress as described in the prevention of cruelty to animals act, which basically means that the animals going to die," said Berndt. "In this case, where the dog was obviously in emotional distress but it's not going to die, we are available to Courtenay for animal control on Mondays.

"We're also obliged to give the owner the opportunity to relieve the animal's distress," she said. "We have to advise them, this is the issue, your dog has no food and water. It's your responsibility to supply that for the animal, we are giving you X amount of time to do that. If you fail to do that, we will proceed legally."

Sunwest RV employee Hans Petterson learned about the dog's plight from a neighbor (who wants to remain anonymous) on Monday morning. He said he was told that they had given the dog food and water the day before.

When another Sunwest employee phoned the SPCA, she was told that the society is closed on Mondays.

An SPCA answering service attendant also told the Echo Monday morning that they were closed but he admitted there had been other complaints about the animal and said he would page the control officer call.

The dog was removed about an hour later.

"Had the dog been without food and water on Sunday we would have gone by and provided it with food and water," said Berndt. "But we would not have removed it because, the same as any officer, we cannot remove anybody's property without a warrant."

"I really think that anybody that ties up a dog with that short of leash with no food, no water shouldn't have a dog," said Petersen. "To me it's just straight outright cruelty to animals."

The owner of the dog has yet to call the SPCA which is required to hold the animal for seven days before it can legally adopt the dog out.

"The dog will not be released without us questioning him as to his handling of the dog," she said. "It's unacceptable to leave an animal tied in a public place without supervision, particularly without food and water."

Berndt said that anyone who observes an animal being mistreated should take down any information that would help track down the owner--a vehicle description, license plate number or a name--and contact the SPCA.

© Comox Valley Echo 2008

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