Two people from Clarenville are facing allegations of animal cruelty.
The charges stem from an incident March 2 when local RCMP officers and the Clarenville area SPCA removed a dog from a home in Hillview.
The animal was emaciated when he was found and later died from his condition.
A 42-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman have been charged with one count each of animal cruelty and causing damage or injury to an animal. They are set to appear in court April 19.
Police say when they removed the dog from its home he was in bad shape. The doghouse was rickety and didn’t provide adequate shelter; the dog had no food and only a bucket of frozen water. He was also tied to a tree with a heavy chain that was digging into its skin.
As an adult he should have weighed about 90-lbs, but only weighed 53-lbs when he was recovered.
The dog, a mixed breed shepherd named Max, was taken from the home and into the care of the SCPA, but died a few days later.
This is where the RCMP involvement in Max’s story ends and Kim Baker’s begins.
Baker is the owner/operator of Silverhawk Promotions in Clarenville. It’s a webpage development and marketing company.
She follows the Clarenville area SPCA on Facebook and found out about Max’s rescue through that social media.
The incident touched her, she said.
“I had full intention of going in to visit Max until I had heard that he’d passed away. That was on a Monday and that night after I hear about his passing I came up with the idea of ‘you know what? We should do something to voice out against this animal’s neglect,” said Baker.
The next day she brought her idea to the SPCA board of directors and it was immediately approved.
The Max Memorial Protection Fund was officially launched March 6.
The SPCA controls the fund and all money donated to it goes directly to help fund the shelter’s investigation services. Investigations like the one that led Max to be taken from his owners.
It was a cause Baker wants to promote, she said.
“I’m an animal lover. When I heard the condition that Max was in when they removed him — it was horrible. ... I wanted to do something to help try and protect other animals in some small way,” she said.
Other sponsors quickly jumped on board as well. Within a week the Clarenville Caribous hockey club and the women’s correctional centre in Clarenville had both signed up to help out.
The Caribous have featured the fund before at least one game and all the players have signed a pledge to help fight animal cruelty.
The residents of the correctional centre are also making orange “stop animal abuse” ribbons, which the fund is selling for $2.
Baker also donated her company’s time to creating a website, http://www.silverhawkpromotions.com/Max/
It’s all happened in less then a month.
So it’s been a whirlwind of activity, said Baker, but well worth the effort.
Hopefully the Max Memorial Protection Fund will help other animals avoid its namesake’s fate, she said.
The Telegram requested an interview with the Clarenville Area SPCA, but one could not be arranged before Tuesday’s press deadline.
cmaclean@thetelegram.com
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A man, 42, and woman, 38, in Hillview have been charged with cruelty to animals by Clarenville RCMP.
Officers were called in to assist the Clarenville Area SPCA in the removal of a dog from the Hillview residence, according to an RCMP news release.
Police officers found an “extremely emaciated” dog tied to a tree by a heavy chain and chain collar that was cutting into the dog’s skin. The doghouse was inadequate, and there was no food or dish in the area, with only a frozen bucket of water found on the ground, according to RCMP.
The dog was removed from the residence and taken in to the care of the Clarenville Area SPCA.
The dog died a few days later in the care of the SPCA.
The Clarenville Area SPCA have worked with other agencies and groups to start the Max Memorial Fund, aimed at raising funds and awareness about animal cruelty and abuse.
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its ok Mace....some things are worth a smack in the face....just like some things are worth going to jail for.....you did the right thing.