Ottawa Humane Society offers reward in case of dead dog found in stairwell
Ottawa Humane Society
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
OTTAWA, Ont. (26 Feb, 2007) – The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) is offering a $500 reward for information leading to charges in the case of a dead dog found in a downtown apartment building. The dog, a young male Boxer type, was found tied to the banister in a stairwell leading from an underground parking garage at 340 Gloucester St., in Ottawa.Ottawa Police Services called OHS investigators to the scene on Feb. 18, 2007. Police were following up on a reported break and entry in the garage when they discovered the dog tied by its leash to the railing in the stairwell, which led to the outside.
“There was a large amount of feces on the floor around the dog, and the animal itself was covered in it,” says OHS Investigator, Tim Brown. “There were signs the dog had scratched at the walls and the doorway, so it was obviously suffering and panicked.”
A necropsy performed last week indicated that the dog did not appear to have an underlying disease or medical condition that would have led to its death. It’s likely the animal died from starvation or dehydration.
This is the first time the OHS has offered a reward for information in an animal cruelty case, but the shocking nature of this crime called for an elevated response.
“The details of this case are so disturbing that we were compelled to take extra measures,” says Bruce Roney, OHS executive director. “While we are a non-profit organization, our donors give us money to prevent horrific cases like this from happening and to seek justice when they do. If this reward leads to cruelty charges against whoever did this, then it will be money well spent.”
Although, legally mandated to enforce the animal cruelty provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada, the OHS does not receive any government funding or any funding from any animal welfare group to perform this essential work.
The OHS investigations team has put up posters at the apartment building in an effort to solicit information from residents, but so far there has been no response.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Ottawa Humane Society at (613) 725-3166 ext. 224.
For media enquiries, contact:
Tara Jackson, Communications Manager
(613) 725-3166, ext. 261
A word about the Ottawa Humane Society:
The Ottawa Humane Society is a registered charity founded in 1888. The Society works in and with the community to provide leadership in the humane treatment of all animals, to address the causes of animal suffering, to encourage people to take responsibility for their animal companions, and to provide care for animals who are neglected, abused, exploited, stray, or homeless.
