The BC SPCA has located the owner of young female dog found nearly dead at the side of a road in Maple Ridge and says it will now pursue animal cruelty charges against him.
Though the Siberian husky, now dubbed Willow, didn’t have any identification when she was brought in by a Good Samaritan on Jan. 31, investigators were able to find the owner because of a public tip.
“We received a call from a neighbor who recognized the dog after seeing her in the media,” said the SPCA’s Marcie Moriarty in a statement.
A Simon Fraser University student in his 20s now faces cruelty charges. The Coquitlam man's name will not be released unless he is formally charged.
“After interviewing him we believe there is sufficient evident to move forward with animal cruelty charges under both the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Criminal Code of Canada,” said Moriarty.
Willow weighed 15 kilograms when she was found, far less than the 24 kilograms she should have for her breed and age.
She was assessed with a body conditioning score of “one” out of nine, which protection officers said indicated the animal was severely malnourished and likely only a few days from death.
Her stomach only contained rocks and soil, likely eaten as a means of survival.
The agency is accepting donations for the dog’s ongoing care.
