Case Details

Deer found dead on property
Arva, ON (CA)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003
Disposition: Acquitted

Person of Interest: Doug Weldon

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 7361
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: deer
View more cases in ON (CA)
Login to Watch this Case

Investigators responding to an anonymous animal cruelty complaint found a dead deer in a paddock on an Arva farm, evidence at the opening day of an Ontario court trial indicated on February 13, 2006. Doug Weldon, 51, of Arva, faces six counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and failing to provide adequate food to deer on his farm. He pleaded not guilty.

Dennis MacVoy, who lives beside the Weldon property, testified he saw a large male deer dead along the fence line in January 2004. He said he noticed the fur on the rest of the deer in the small herd appeared patchy and they looked thin. MacVoy's wife, Dianne, said she saw a couple of dead deer next door in January 2004, and by the end of the month, the herd was down to one survivor. Dr. Stephen Martin, a veterinary expert from Guelph, told Justice Gregory Pockele it was possible the deer died after ingesting plastic binder twine used to wrap hay bales. Martin said autopsies showed the the animals were suffering from malnutrition.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Andy Rady, Martin agreed the dead deer had fecal matter in their intestines, a sign the animals had been eating. Ed Small, an investigator for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at the time of the probe, said he found a dead elk-deer hybrid when he got to the farm in January 2004. He conceded in questioning by Rady that Weldon was co-operative about following suggestions for feeding or watering the deer, readily turned over a deer carcass and made no effort to prevent officials entering his property.

The trial is to continue April 27, 2006.

Case Updates

No one knew why Doug Weldon's red deer were starving to death. That included the baffled owner.

Two years ago, Weldon readily agreed to have autopsies done on the three dead animals at his Arva farm after the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) began an investigation.

He said he had given them lots of hay. He said the animals had lots of water.

But Weldon, 52, was charged with six animal cruelty counts -- all related to failing to provide adequate food.

It took a criminal trial to dissect why the animals died.

He had provided adequate food. But the animals, the remains of a large hybrid herd Weldon had kept as a hobby, may have starved to death after eating plastic baler twine.

"Food was provided, but it was (provided) improperly," said Ontario Court Justice Gregory Pockele upon acquitting Weldon of all six charges.

Pockele was clear he thought there was neglect in the case, but because of the specific food-related charges, he couldn't convict Weldon.

Yesterday, Pockele heard evidence from the OSPCA regarding the terrible shape the animals were in when an officer arrived at the farm south of Arva on a snowy Jan. 31, 2004.

Three deer -- a male, a female and a calf -- were dead. A living female was underweight and docile, said OSPCA agent Leanne MacKay.

She said she couldn't see any food, water or bedding.

The dead animals had fecal matter near them. One was missing an ear. Another had patchy fur and puncture marks.

The buck had orange baler twine tangled in his antlers and it appeared by the marks in the snow it had been struggling for some time.

There were large round hay bales near the deer paddock, but out of the animals' reach.

MacKay had hay and straw in her truck and retrieved water from a gas station. She also left a notice for the owner to contact her.

She returned the next day and Weldon arrived. He said he had been away ice fishing but that before he left, he had given the animals square bales of hay he had brought from his nearby farm.

Weldon said he often consulted a Midland veterinarian with an expertise in deer.

Defence lawyer Andy Rady said evidence of feces and food in the stomachs showed the animals had food available.

Pockele agreed and said the best evidence came earlier in the trial from a vet who said ingesting the twine would have stopped the animals from metabolizing their food.
Source: London Free Press- April 28, 2006
Update posted on Apr 28, 2006 - 3:00PM 
Add this case to:   Del.icio.us | Digg | Furl Furl |

References

London Free Press - February 14, 2006

Add to GoogleNot sure what these icons mean? Click here.

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.



Send this page to a friend
© Copyright 2001-2007 Pet-Abuse.Com. All rights reserved. Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy