72 dogs surrendered to Alberta SPCA; owner charged with animal cruelty
Posted December 19, 2024 9:26 am.
Last Updated December 19, 2024 6:46 pm.
An Alberta man is facing animal cruelty charges after 72 dogs were surrendered to the Alberta SPCA last month.
Mounties say they were conducting a check on a rural property in Brazeau County on Nov. 15 to make sure the owner was following conditions of a court-issued prohibition order.
Police allege the owner had more livestock than the court allowed, and a dog was found with injuries to its legs.
The Alberta SPCA says there were “numerous dogs, all living outside without proper shelter for the weather conditions, and several with injuries.”
Drayton Valley RCMP say the owner was arrested and charged with obstruction and assaulting a police officer. James Allan Kurz, 64, is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 7.
Alberta SPCA attended the property Nov. 26 and took the 72 dogs into its care.
“This included numerous puppies that had not yet been weaned from their mothers,” the SPCA said in a news release. “Many of these animals remain in the care of the Alberta SPCA while others have been transferred to animal welfare partner organizations where they are being cared for until they are ready to be put up for adoption.”
The animals are now “doing quite well,” the Alberta SPCA tells CityNews.
“They are warm. They are with their mothers in situations where they are getting the care they need,” said director of communications Dan Kobe.
“We welcome the opportunity to support the Alberta SPCA with their difficult job in protecting animal welfare in this province,” added Cpl. Troy Savinkoff of the Alberta RCMP. “We are thankful that ultimately the property owner did the right thing in working with the Alberta SPCA in supporting these animals.”
The Alberta SPCA says the animal welfare community is in a “dire situation,” and the addition of six dozen dogs adds even more pressure. They say it’s the latest in a trend of large-scale surrenders that have made 2024 a difficult year.
Kobe recalled a seizure of 56 pets from a property in southern Alberta in April.
And just this past Wednesday, 110 cats were surrendered in Calgary from just one home.
These large, sudden intakes are stretching the SPCA and shelters beyond capacity.
“That’s causing our expenses to balloon,” Kobe said. “Over a million dollars in animal care alone this year, which is more than double last year.”
The SPCA wants to see Alberta’s Animal Protection Act updated for the first time since 2006 to reflect more current challenges.
–With files from Elliott Knopp
