Eskasoni man found not guilty of animal cruelty

An Eskasoni man charged with two counts of animal cruelty has been found not guilty on both counts.

Edwin Michael Paul, 22, was charged with causing an animal to be in distress and with failing to provide adequate medical attention to an injured animal.

The offences are alleged to have occurred on Mountain Road between Sept. 3 and Sept. 10, 2015.

Paul was called to pick up a dog reported as being aggressive with other dogs. The dog, named Emma, had already killed another dog after freeing herself from her backyard leash. She was described as a black and white coloured mixed breed

According to an agreed statement of facts between the Crown and the defence, Paul took Emma to the woods along Mountain Road, tethered her inside a cage and fired two shots. Paul was filling in for his father, who was responsible for dog control, but was away fishing on the day in question.

In believing the dog was dead, Paul left the animal in the woods untethered and uncaged.

Three days later, Emma came limping back into the community, showing up on the doorstep of her owner.

According to the owner, Lisa Dipietro-Denny, Emma was eventually euthanized as a result of her leg injury which caused the animal to be in a great deal of pain.

The community now uses the SPCA for animal control.

The court record also indicated Paul gave a statement to RCMP in which he said he thought the dog was dead and felt bad in learning the injured dog had returned to the community.