Penalty in Calgary pit bull abuse case applauded by humane society
Judge fined Calgary man, restricted future ownership, after 34 dogs found in distress
Officials at the Calgary Humane Society are happy after a judge slapped $5,000 fine on a Calgary man who was found to have 34 mistreated dogs in his home.
The Humane Society says animal control officers found the dogs in distress in April 2011.
They say the animals had inadequate space, water and medical care.
All but two of the dogs were pit bulls.
Joseph Michael Hogan, who is 34, was convicted of an offence under Alberta's Animal Protection Act.
The judge also ruled that Hogan can own no more than three pets at a time for the rest of his life.
Brad Nichols, manager of cruelty investigations for the humane society, said he’s happy with the penalties, noting the fine is one of the highest in the last decade.
“Ultimately we’re more concerned usually with the prohibition end of the sentence, in this case giving him a three animal limit will ensure that he’s a) not breeding and b) not boarding or not generally making a profit off these animals,” he said.
Nichols said Calgary is one of the few jurisdictions he is aware of that does not have an animal number limit in its bylaws. Many municipalities have a three-dog limit with a requirement for a hobby-kennel licence to keep more animals.
“A lot of people get into in impulsively, thinking they can make a quick buck off their dogs and really ultimately if you’re putting the proper care into these animals there’s not a huge profit margin,” he said.
With files from CBC News