Dog walker responsible for deaths of 6 dogs in Langley pleads guilty

Emma Paulsen has pleaded guilty in Surrey provincial court for the deaths of six dogs after leaving them in the back of her truck on a warm day in May 2014.

Outside of the court building, she was heckled and confronted by the dog owners who left their pets in her care.

As a dog walker, the animals were under Paulsen’s care when they died of heatstroke. She initially reported to police that the dogs were stolen while she was away in the washroom for 10 minutes. It sparked a major police-led public campaign to search for the dogs, including her own pet.

However, RCMP discovered inconsistencies with her story, which led to her confession a week after the incident that she faked the story to coverup her negligence. Upon the revelation, the bodies of the animals were promptly recovered from a ditch in Abbotsford.

Paulsen will now face two charges of animal cruelty and public mischief. In August, it was announced that she would face six charges, but four of the charges have since been stayed by the Crown.

If found guilty, she could receive a sentence of up to two years in prison and a fine of as much as $75,000. The sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for January 21, 2015.