A 30-year-old woman from Dartmouth is facing four animal-cruelty charges after she allegedly failed to provide her dog with proper medical care.
The Nova Scotia SPCA says their officers attended the woman’s residence on Feb. 25, and were able to view a dog after several previous attempts were made.
“The dog was suffering from a medical issue and an order to comply was left for the owner to bring the dog to a veterinarian for treatment,” the SPCA said in a release Thursday.
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The SPCA says the officers later returned to the residence and found the dog in the same condition and it had not been treated by a veterinarian.
“Because of the serious nature of the medical concerns for the dog, SPCA officers seized the dog and brought it for medical treatment where it is continuing with care at the SPCA,” the release reads.
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As a result, Vanessa Wilson-Hatt has been charged with causing a dog to be in distress, failing to provide an animal with adequate medical attention when the animal is wounded or ill, confining an animal in an enclosure or area with inadequate space and unsanitary conditions, and failing to comply with direction given to the act.
“Pet ownership is a serious commitment and owners must be willing to treat their pets when they are ill and in need of medical attention,” Jo-Anne Landsburg, the SPCA’s chief provincial inspector, said in a statement.
“If you cannot afford treatment, it is your responsibility to reach out for help and not let an animal suffer.”
Wilson-Hatt is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth provincial court on April 9.