Yu Lin, the owner of an emaciated young husky dog who was found abandoned in Maple Ridge last January, has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, following a BC SPCA investigation.
The BC SPCA was called to rescue the dog, who was found wandering alone near 256thand 128th in Maple Ridge. Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the BC SPCA, says the dog, now named Willow, weighed 15 kilograms upon intake, compared to a normal weight of about 24 kilograms for a dog of her age and breed.
“She was assessed with a score of ‘one’ on the canine body conditioning scale of one to nine, meaning that she was severely malnourished.”
Willow was rushed to Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge where she received around-the-clock treatment and was cared for in an SPCA foster home for several months as she recovered.
“When she first came in she was unable to lie down due to abdominal pain caused by rocks and soil in her gastrointestinal tract,” says Chortyk. “There were no food remnants in her stomach so it’s likely that she had been eating gravel to try to stay alive. She also had trouble walking because her muscles were so weak.”
The BC SPCA’s Cruelty Investigations Department identified Willow’s former owner, a university student in his 20s, shortly after the investigation began and submitted recommendations for charges to Crown counsel in February, 2015. If convicted, Lin faces up to two years in jail, a maximum fine of $75,000 and up to a lifetime ban on owning animals.
After making a full recovery in SPCA care, Willow was adopted into a loving home last March.
“The BC SPCA is extremely grateful to all those who contributed to Willow’s ongoing medical care during her recovery,” adds Chortyk.
To help animals like Willow, please visit the BC SPCA Medical Emergency fund at spca.bc.ca/medical
Willow ‘after’ photos by Mane Frame Photography
The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a not-for-profit organization reliant on public donations. Our mission is to protect and enhance the quality of life for domestic, farm and wild animals in B.C.
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