Tuesday, August 24, 2010 Football player hitches a new ride to big U.S. university.
Page 18
ary Annivers 1985-2010
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Courts
Ex-owner fined for Trooper’s torment
OUTDOORS ❚ Summer fling
Michael Schneider also can’t own an animal for 10 years. by Jeremy Shepherd
The Crown detailed Trooper’s condition when first brought to the B.C. SPCA as evidence of Schneider’s guilt. he former owner of Trooper, The golden retriever was initially a badly neglected and examined by Dr. Adrian Walton of starved golden retriever, was the Dewdney Animal Hospital. Dr. sentenced yesterday after pleading Walton said Trooper suffered from guilty to animal cruelty charges. pressure sores, was missing patches Michael Schneider, formerly of of fur and a had very strong odour Maple Ridge, will have to pay a of feces and urine. $2,000 fine and $404 in restitution “The clinic still smelled bad the to the B.C. SPCA. Schneider was next day,” he said. also barred from owning an animal Dr. Walton said Trooper was also for the next 10 years. wearing an undersized chain choke Schneider requested a longer time collar that needed to be removed to pay the fine on the grounds that with bolt cutters. Trooper weighed he is only working part-time. The judge, who called Schneider’s crime just under 11 kilograms when first examined. He nearly doubled his “a horrendous offence,” ordered weight within a month. him to pay his fines within 12 On first examination, Dr. Walton months. gave Trooper a body score of Due to the dog’s emaciated one out of 10. Five is considered condition and imminent risk of average. “I’ve done a few calls death when first examined by the for the SPCA,” Dr. Walton said, B.C. SPCA, Judge Marion BullerBennett said the maximum fine was “I almost never give out a one. Trooper was a one.” appropriate. Dr. Walton said he ran tests for Trooper is currently living with diseases and parasites, and found new owners who say he is in good the dog had no underlying medical health. problem to explain his condition. Marcie Moriarty, general manager of cruelty investigations for the B.C. SPCA, said she was pleased Schneider acknowledged his wrongdoing by pleading guilty, but thought a stiffer sentence would have been appropriate. “At least a few days in jail would have been warranted,” she said. This SPCA photo shows what Trooper looked like Moriarty said when he was first dropped off in March. Trooper has made a full recovery. “You would never know what he’s Schneider, who said the dog had been through, and that’s a good gotten sick near the beginning of thing,” she said. this year, brought the animal to the Moriarty said she encourages Maple Ridge shelter at the end of people to research an animal before February. At the time, Schneider they become owners, but a lack of denied being the dog’s owner. Staff knowledge wasn’t the problem in at the shelter noted his license this case. “He deliberately didn’t plate, which led to charges being feed the animal,” she said. “He filed against Schneider. obviously knows how to feed Schneider, who owned the dog himself.” for around 18 months, showed Schneider had no prior criminal contrition in court. “In the end, it record. was my fault,” he said. editorial@mrtimes.com
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The sign at the Silver Bridge on Harris Road in Pitt Meadows clearly warns people not to jump due to shallow water, but these youths tossed caution to the wind and did some aerial acrobatics. Scott McKenzie/TIMES
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