Maple Ridge resident Jeffrey David Symons pleaded guilty on Wednesday to causing the death of a 13-year-old hearing impaired dog who was left in his care by friends.
Last April, Symons was in charge of ‘Tessa’, a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, when he brought her to a Maple Ridge vet saying she had fallen down some stairs and was having trouble breathing. Tessa was pronounced dead on arrival.
During a BC SPCA investigation, Symons admitted he had physically punished the dog, causing her medical distress and death. Necropsy reports confirmed that Tessa suffered a ruptured spleen and lacerated liver due to blunt force trauma.
“This is such a sad case of a beautiful and innocent family pet who died violently and unnecessarily,” said Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA. “A criminal code conviction carries significant weight and we are pleased to see the seriousness of this crime recognized.”
Symons was sentenced to a five-year ban on owning or possessing an animal, one year probation and a three-month conditional sentence.
The BC SPCA investigates more than 7,000 complaints of animal abuse and neglect each year and is funded by community donations.
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