Seven people from across Nova Scotia are facing charges in connection with animal cruelty-related accusations that saw dogs seized and euthanized, according to the Nova Scotia SPCA.
In four different press releases Thursday, the SPCA said Jessica Riley, 20, Brett Fiddes, 27, Nathan Conrad, 28, Carley Rushton, 29, Kayle Regnier, 32, Robert Mason, 34, and Joanne GooGoo, 53 are all facing animal cruelty charges.
2 charged, dog euthanized in Truro
The SPCA says both Riley and Fiddes – both from Truro – were charged in April with causing their dog to be in distress, failing to provide a dog with an adequate source of food and water and failing to provide a dog with adequate medical attention when it was wounded or ill.
The SPCA says they received a complaint in March 2019 that an emaciated dog had been brought to a veterinary hospital by a Good Samaritan. The dog, Buddy, received life-saving treatment and when it was stable, the SPCA seized the dog.
Buddy later had to be euthanized due to health and behaviour complications.
“This dog, Buddy, suffered severe and chronic neglect,” said Jo-Anne Landsburg, chief inspector at the Nova Scotia SPCA, in a statement.
“Unfortunately, Buddy was a victim of the many manifestations of animal abuse, both physically and psychologically.”
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Riley and Fiddes, who owned Buddy, pleaded guilty to the charges against them in court on Wednesday. They were sentenced to probation and that prohibits them from owning livestock, farm and companion animals, but they were allowed to keep their three cats, so long as they take them to a vet every 30 days.
They were also fined upwards of $2,000.
Malnourished dog euthanized in Indian Brook, woman charged
Joanne GooGoo of Indian Brook, N.S., is facing three animal cruelty charges after the SPCA received a complaint in April 2019 that a dog was sent to a vet with severe and poor body condition.
That dog also had to be euthanized, the SPCA says, and the body of the dog was seized.
The investigation determined there was enough evidence to lay charges against GooGoo, who was scheduled to appear in court this month.
She’s currently awaiting further court dates.
Dog, bearded dragons and fish seized from abandoned Dartmouth home, 2 charged
Six counts of animal cruelty have been laid against Nathan Conrad and Carley Rushton of Dartmouth for allegedly leaving a dog, two bearded dragons and fish abandoned for days on their own.
The SPCA says they received a complaint in July claiming Conrad and Rushton hadn’t been seen at the home for a long period of time and there were animals still living inside.
A search warrant was executed and the animals were seized in serious condition. The dog, fish and one of the bearded dragons have since been sent to new homes, but the other bearded dragon is still receiving medical care.
2 ‘abused and neglected’ dogs seized in Antigonish, 2 charged
The SPCA says Kayle Regnier and Robert Mason of Antigonish are also facing animal cruelty charges after their two Jack Russell Terriers were forced to undergo weeks of rehabilitation due to neglect and abuse.
The SPCA seized the dogs in June and determined there were grounds to seize the dogs and lay charges.
After their rehabilitation, the dogs were adopted to new homes.
WATCH: Halifax man fined for animal cruelty after pleading guilty
Regnier and Mason have been charged with causing unnecessary pain and suffering or injury to an animal, and abandoning an animal in distress.
The pair is scheduled to face the charges in court on Sept. 4.
The Nova Scotia SPCA urges you to report acts of animal cruelty by contacting the confidential toll-free hotline at 1-888-703-7722.
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