A 27-year-old man who left his dog to starve to death in a rented home he abandoned in the Woodstock, N.B., area four years ago was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail — double the sentence recommended by the Crown. The dog's death was "slow and drawn out" and "must have been extremely painful," the judge said. In a victim impact statement read aloud by Dickson, SPCA officer James Parish called the dog's death "gruesome" and said it has had a "lasting impact" on him. He argued it was Springer's first offence, and the fact he pleaded guilty should be considered a mitigating factor. The cruelty to animals charge carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $10,000.

Source: CBC News April 18, 2019 18:22 UTC