Two men from Victoria have been condemned for causing unnecessary suffering to a 27-year-old horse named Jalupae in 2009. The men failed to provide the horse with adequate care and then hung the horse from an excavating machine. David Whiffin and Clayton Cunningham were found guilty of not providing the horse with proper veterinary care or enough food during its life. The most shocking part of the story is that the two were not found guilty of killing the horse. Apparently there is a loophole that makes it nearly impossible to convict people of killing animals and these men didn't have enough evidence against them to prove that the horse was suffering before its death. The judge ruled they are never allowed to own another animal again and are faced with a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to 18 months in jail.
This story is disgusting and really questions our Criminal Code. As SPCA spokesperson Marcie Moriarty said, "it is ludicrous that, in this country, someone who intentionally kills an animal by hanging them from a backhoe cannot be convicted under our Criminal Code.” To have people heinously slaughtering animals and get away with it is ridiculous and really proves that there is a requirement for tougher legislation. The authorities should know that if these men were innocent they would have euthanized the horse humanely instead of hanging the emaciated horse. Acts like these crimes should be dealt with the same as crimes against humans and should be dealt with accordingly under new laws.
Victoria men convicted of starving horse before hanging
December 14th, 2011
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/12/14/bc-horse-hanging.html
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