Princeton man ordered to pay more than $4K for neglecting dog

A Princeton landlord will not see his dog again and has been ordered to pay the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) $4,526.39 in costs.

Kazumi Tanaka, an artist, “didn’t believe in vets,” saying animals have rights while human rights are declining.

“Gus”, a Pyrenean Crossbreed, was acquired by Tanaka in January 2022.

Gus was removed from the SPCA’s care in July after numerous complaints about the dog’s health and living conditions were filed by Tanaka’s tenants, who Tanaka said should be evicted for their actions.

Tanaka appealed to the British Columbia Farm Industry Review Board (BCFIRB), but in a September 30 decision, the board upheld the company’s decision to impound Gus and assigned the costs to his previous owner.

The board heard that the SPCA received three complaints about Gus’s care in February, May and June. It was alleged that Gus was not cared for properly and was physically abused.

Following the initial complaint, Chapman Provincial SPCA Special Constable examined Gus and found him to be in satisfactory health.

When Chapman returned for a follow-up visit, he checked the premises and found that Gus was distressed. Chapman issued a notice that Gus needed to see a vet.

Gus was underweight, suffered from persistent diarrhea and required a special gastrointestinal diet and had to be dewormed.

Tanaka attended two vet appointments with Gus, who continued to lose weight. Gus was confiscated after the man refused to take him back to the vet.

Before Gus was grabbed, “He was tied up with a short black ratchet line and there was some water in a red bucket and no shelter. Chapman physically examined Gus and felt his spine and hip bones,” the board’s decision on the appeal said.

The company also stated that Gus was left alone outside and tied up day and night, and there were reports that Gus had been kicked by Tanaka, who replied that he had just “tapped” the dog.

The BCFIRB ruled that “While Tanaka has learned about caring for a dog, he does not respect the advice of a veterinarian and has refused to instruct on several occasions, even when legally instructed by society officials to take the animal to a clinic bring to.”

It was said that the dog would be prone to stress if brought back to Tanaka.

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