BC SPCA Fast Track Dec 21/05

Warrant Obtained on Psychological Abuse

The Cruelty Investigations Department was successful in obtaining a warrant this week based solely on psychological abuse – the first time such a warrant has been granted. The warrant was used to seize a Lab-cross dog in order to reunite her with her six puppies who had been abandoned in a Delta park shortly after their birth. Charges are pending in the case.

Charges are pending means that Crown has not laid a charge based on psychological abuse yet. Crown may decide to only lay charges on other counts such as physical distress.

Educating Crown that psychological abuse is a form of 'distress' (the offence in law) that is covered in the PCA Act by the words 'suffering' and 'abuse'

(2) For the purposes of this Act, an animal is in distress if it is
(a) deprived of adequate food, water or shelter,
(b) injured, sick, in pain or suffering, or
(c) abused or neglected.

can only be achieved by repeatedly bringing reports to Crown of psychological suffering. Once enough Crown prosecutors have been 'educated' by this process and lay charges, the next hurdle is to 'educate' judges that psychological suffering is a convictable form of distress.

Ten years after the PCA Act's new wording permitted the SPCA to begin this process, it finally is. A lot of dogs died in misery during that ten years. Unnamed, unknown, unremembered thousands were killed by the SPCA itself for being psychologically damaged after the abused dogs were first ignored by it and then surrendered to it. But better late than never, and this is a campaign that AAS supports whole-heartedly.