A woman whose four horses and pig were seized by the SPCA under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act has lost a court application to reverse an injunction that had earlier been granted to her that required the SPCA to maintain her animals until her appeal against their seizure to the Farm Industry Review Board was dealt with.
The court heard Felicia Allen was also evicted from the property where she kept the animals. The SPCA offered to return them to her if she followed a re-feeding program and reimbursed the SPCA for costs it incurred for caring for the animals since they were seized. Allen didnsa国际传媒檛 accept the offer and sought to appeal the seizure before the FIRB. She then withdrew her appeal and commenced an action in B.C. Supreme Court and sought an injunction that would require the SPCA to continue to maintain the horses and pig pending its disposition.
The injunction was granted subject to her paying to the SPCA the cost of providing the animals with food and boarding. Allen then sought leave to appeal the injunction and to have the financial terms stayed, but Justice Mary Newbury, of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia, dismissed Allensa国际传媒檚 applications, finding she had shown sa国际传媒渘o arguable casesa国际传媒� the judge had erred in his decision.
Newbury in her April 18 noted that a special constable of the SPCA Animal Cruelty Department in February seized the horses and pig sa国际传媒渙n the basis that the animals were in distresssa国际传媒� and in January, Surrey Animal Control seized her dog.
sa国际传媒淢s. Allen asserts that although her horses were lean, they were properly fed and cared for,sa国际传媒� the judge added.
The SPCA granted Allen an extension of time in which she could accept the terms of the return agreement but two days later she ought a further extension, Newbury noted, sa国际传媒渟tating that she had no place for the animals to be kept, since her landlord had removed all of her equipment and was evicting her from her previous premises.sa国际传媒� Allen advised the court her action against the landlord is to be tried in court in October.
The judge noted that as long as the injunction remains in effect, Allen is required to pay the SPCA $139 per day in six instalments starting on April 21, when $695 was payable. sa国际传媒淭he last instalment is due on June 30, when $1,946 will be payable. The total amount payable up to June 30 will exceed $10,000. I understand the animals are being housed by third parties and the SPCA is paying the costs of boarding and food.sa国际传媒�
Newbury noted that if Allen fails to pay any required instalment when its due the injunction will be sa国际传媒渄eemed to have lapsed,sa国际传媒� and if she pays only a portion of the required funds, the society can sa国际传媒渄ispose of a number of animals pro-rated to the amount of moneysa国际传媒� Allen paid, at the rate of $32 per day per horse. sa国际传媒淢s. Allen will have no authority to direct that the Society dispose of any particular animal or in any particular order.sa国际传媒�
Allen submitted she doesnsa国际传媒檛 have the money to care for the animals at this time.
Counsel for the SPCA argued that the interests of justice donsa国际传媒檛 favour granting leave to appeal, submitting that Allensa国际传媒檚 goal is sa国际传媒渟a国际传媒ransparently aimed at having the [SPCA] house and feed the animals at its cost for some undefined time period,sa国际传媒� that she has no place for the animals sa国际传媒渉as no intention of funding the costs of feeding and boarding themsa国际传媒� and therefore itsa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渄ecidedly not in the interests of justice to grant leave to appeal in the circumstances.sa国际传媒�
Newbury said while shesa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渘ot prepared to ascribe a malicious intention to Ms. Allen,sa国际传媒� it wouldnsa国际传媒檛 be in the interests of justice to grant leave to appeal. sa国际传媒淚n an ideal world, animals could be cared for without draining of the resources of organizations such as the SPCA, but such is not reality,sa国际传媒� Newbury concluded. sa国际传媒淚n my view, Ms. Allensa国际传媒檚 argument that her affection for the four horses and one pig should effectively oblige the SPCA to bear the costs of maintaining the animals is simply not tenable.sa国际传媒�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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