Owner of BC petting zoo charged with animal cruelty

Apr 6 2018, 11:48 pm

The owner of a petting zoo in Revelstoke is facing multiple animal cruelty charges, following an investigation by the BC SPCA.

James Richard Bruvall, the owner of the Revelstoke Petting Zoo, has been charged with 24 counts of animal cruelty, under a combination of the Criminal Code and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The charges come after the SPCA removed 15 animals, including a dead pig, from Bruvall’s property in July of last year.

The other animals found to be in distress included five horses, three pigs, two mini-horses, a lamb, an alpaca, a goat and a peacock. They were also suffering from lack of adequate food, shelter, and veterinary care.

“We are very pleased that charges have been approved against Mr. Bruvall as this is a very sad case where profits were clearly placed before the welfare of the animals in his care,” said BC SPCA spokesperson, Marcie Moriarty. “This individual was running a petting zoo and trail-riding company using compromised animals and allowing them to suffer.”

She noted that all but one of the animals have been adopted into new homes.

“We are still looking for a home for the goat, but we are hopeful that a new guardian will be found soon,” she said.

If convicted, Bruvall faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in jail, a $75,000 fine, and a potential lifetime ban on owning animals.

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