A North Saanich woman whose dog had to be put down after being left with an untreated broken jaw and collapsed lung has been banned from owning animals for three years.
Iris Crystal Jones pleaded guilty to animal cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The dog, a young female pit bull called Sherbert, was seized by the SPCA last February from a home on Tseycum First Nation reserve. The dog, with a broken jaw dangling, had developed pneumonia because of lack of treatment and was found coughing and struggling to breathe, crammed into a wire cage with another large pit bull and no access to water.
"This was a horrific case of neglect and, unfortunately, it took a little dog paying the ultimate price to ensure no other animals will be neglected for the next three years," said sa国际传媒 SPCA special constable Erika Paul.
Paul said she would have preferred tougher penalties and a clause included in the ban to ensure Jones cannot live in the same residence as animals owned by other people.
"That would help us cover all the bases. Without that, it is very difficult to monitor," she said.
In 2008, new provincial legislation strengthened penalties for animal cruelty, with a first offence potentially bringing a $5,000 fine, six months in jail and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
But in the courts, penalties have remained mild. "It would be nice if we saw some of those tougher penalties being imposed," Paul said.
"It is very frustrating."
Sherbert's case is particularly disturbing because if the dog had been treated by a vet after suffering "blunt force trauma" and given proper care, she would probably not have developed pneumonia, Paul said.
"She was just such a sweet little dog whose every breath was a struggle because of the collapsed lung," she said.
"She would pant and heave while her broken jaw dangled and swayed."
After Sherbert was seized, she spent a week fighting for her life, but was euthanized after she continued to decline.
"This is a tragedy that could have been prevented," Paul said.
