Charges of animal cruelty have been laid against the two owners of a severely emaciated dog that was rescued by the BC SPCA in January.
Amy Hui-Yu Lin and Glenn Mislang each face animal cruelty charges and, if convicted, could see up to two years in jail, a maximum fine of $75,000 and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
When Cedric, who was named Tank at the time, came into the care of the Vancouver SPCA, it was in terrible condition.
The two-year-old boxer was suffering from extreme malnutrition, was covered in pressure sores and had to have surgery to remove a deflated football from his stomach.
“He was just skin and bones, definitely the most emaciated dog I have ever seen in my 30 years rescuing animals,” said Jodi Dunlop, manager of the BC SPCA’s Vancouver Branch.
“You could see every single rib protruding and he shivered constantly to try to keep warm.”
Cedric needed around the clock care, so Dunlop took him into her own home as a foster pup as he fought for his life.
I fed him a tablespoon of food every few hours, monitoring him carefully to make sure he didn’t ingest more than he could handle,” she said.
“It was a very slow process to increase his food intake and to ensure he was getting the nutrients he needed without overwhelming his compromised digestive system.”
It was also a challenge to keep him warm, as he had no body fat to protect him.
After several months of intensive care, Cedric made a full recovery and was adopted into a loving family.
He was even presented with an Animal Courage Award at the BC SPCA’s annual awards program in May.
