BC SPCA recommending animal cruelty charges after dog in crate strapped to RV

The BC SPCA is recommending animal cruelty charges to Crown counsel against a dog owner who put their animal in a crate and strapped it to the outside of an RV.

The incident took place on Sunday, June 27, in the midst of British Columbia’s devastating heat wave. With daytime temperatures breaking 40°C, dozens of areas of the province saw record-breaking temperatures over the span of several days.

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Photos taken by concerned witnesses showed a black dog in a crate secured to a rack that’s attached to the back of a travel trailer.

Photos of a dog in a crate secured to the back of an RV circulated social media on Sunday (Cat Therapy & Rescue Society/Facebook)

The BC SPCA says that they were “inundated with calls” regarding the disturbing incident, and while working with RCMP, they were able to trace the owner and location of the canine.

“We were successful in getting a warrant to seize the dog and took him into our custody on Wednesday,” Lorie Chortyk, BC SPCA General Manager, says in an emailed statement. “The dog is safe and being cared for by the SPCA in an undisclosed location.”

(BC SPCA)

Senior Protection Officer Eileen Drever adds that she was “absolutely shocked” by the incident.

The heat that this dog would have to endure,” she stresses. “As well as the psychological distress because dogs’ senses are so much more acute than ours.”

SPCA adds that the dog is not available for adoption at this time, as they will need to follow several legal steps before that can happen.