4 dogs tied to park bleachers, abandoned
Smithers, BC (CA)Incident Date: Sunday, Apr 30, 2006
Disposition: Open
Case Images: 1 files available
Persons of Interest:
» Adult
» Adult
Sadie, a five-year-old pit bull, is one of four dogs tied to bleachers and abandoned in Heritage Park by owners from Seattle, Washington on May 7, 2006.
The lives of four innocent dogs abandoned at Heritage Park hang in the balance. Veterinarian Dr. Michael DesHarnais of the Babine Animal Hospital, who led the rescue of the animals, was livid. “It’s awful,” he said. “Just because somebody doesn’t take responsibility for their pets, it becomes somebody else’s problem.”
The dogs, a lab mix, a husky mix, a pit bull and a shih tzu, were left tied to the bleachers outside the Smithers Civic Centre with a bag of food, some medication from a veterinary clinic in Seattle, Washington and a note. “We were on our way to Seattle when our car broke down,” the note read. “We have no choice but to abandon [our dogs] with the hope that good people will find and take care of them.”
But DesHarnais said there’s a very good chance at least two of the dogs may be headed for euthanization. “The problem with this situation is trying to find homes for them.” The other problem in Smithers he said, is a lack of options. “The city doesn’t have a proper shelter.”
And his hospital simply doesn’t have the capacity to keep abandoned animals. Fortunately, Kennex Kennels stepped up and took the dogs in. They will remain there for an undisclosed period with the hope of re-homing them.
In Canada, abandoning pets is a criminal offence and can carry a penalty of up to six months in jail or a fine of $5,000. References
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