My apologies, this isn’t a marketing related blog post. But I felt this was important enough to break my normal routine.
My friend Fiona and her family could use some help by raising awareness of this story. It makes me sick that somebody shot her dog, but it really infuriates me that the person pointed a loaded weapon at her teenage daughter without getting charged. Please read her story below and help by sharing the story.
“Hi my name is Fiona Price and I’m writing with the hope that somebody from the media can help myself and my family raise awareness to a very important issue.
My family and I live on a farm in the RM of Grant, just outside of Saskatoon. On April 11, 2013, shortly after 1:00 p.m., our St. Bernard ‘Bentley’, who is about 1 year old and our loving family pet had gone onto the neighbour’s property after being enticed by the neighbour’s pet Mule. My daughter, who is 16 years old, immediately went to retrieve Bentley. The neighbour Mrs. X was already in possession of a rifle, and who made the threat “get that dog off my property or I will shoot it. ” My daughter also recalls Mrs. X. also stating “You have 2 minutes.”
Without even 2 minutes passing, Mrs. X went into her house, and immediately, her husband Mr. X. came out with the same or similar rifle. He pointed the gun directly at my daughter, held it at her briefly, then swung the rifle to fire the weapon at Bentley, hitting Bentley in his face, and Bentley ran a few more steps before falling to the ground. Before he fired, my daughter , who was approximately 10 feet away from Bentley had been yelling to Mr. X. to please not shoot her dog. Mr. X. did so anyway, and endangered the life of my daughter, because of the short distance between her and her dog, and the line of travel which would have brought her and the dog even closer.
My husband tried to intervene, but he arrived at the scene too late, and Bentley died eventually in my daughter’s arms. As a family we are receiving counselling to deal with our trauma arising from the incident, and the killing of our loved family pet.
The dog Bentley has no history of violence, shown no propensity for violence, and there were no concerns for anyone that he may be a dangerous animal. Further, at no time during the incident did Bentley display any aggressive behaviour or attack any persons or animals.
I submit that the action of the neighbours to have a firearm in first her, and then in his possession, and for him to then use the firearm, had no justification or reasons involving protection of life, or any other necessary circumstances. By Mrs. X.s own words, their conduct should be interpreted as simply believing they have the right to shoot any animal that trespasses upon their private property. If so, they have no defence.
The event below has left my family and I distressed and emotionally traumatized. Although this incident has been delivered to the Crown, we feel this incident did not get the proper investigation carried out. We have received no help or assistance by the RM of Grant, only time after time the Reeve quotes “we’ve been told not to go onto their property without police presence”. We feel both the RCMP and our RM were not their protecting us when it mattered most.
- No arrests were made by the RCMP. Despite the fact that there is a precedent for arrests in this type of case: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/story/2013/05/13/saskatoon-firearm-threats.html
- Only the 22 rifle confiscated, but no other weapons or ammunition taken away
- The RCMP indicated that they did not want to see shot dog
- The RCMP took our statements, but would not take my daughter to show distances of where the event took place.
- The neighbours were allowed up to 48 hours to make a statement.
- A 1978 addition of the “The Animal Protection Act” was handed to us, Part II 14, Vicious dogs underlined, leaving us to believe that the RCMP were not going to charge the neighbour.
As I mentioned our family is very upset and we don’t know where to turn. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Fiona Price”
Updates:
CBC Story Here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/05/16/sk-dog-shooting-case-1305.html
CTV Story Here: (fast forward to 6:47) http://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1165960
Metro Saskatoon: http://metronews.ca/news/saskatoon/674454/saskatoon-rcmp-investigate-rural-dog-shooting/
The Star Phoenix: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Shot+family+strikes+chord+with+public/8395548/story.html
Yahoo News: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/saskatchewan-family-wants-neighbours-charged-over-dog-shot-000642920.html
Calgary Herald: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/national/Saskatchewan+family+wants+neighbours+charged+over+that/8397596/story.html
Montreal Gazette: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/national/Saskatchewan+family+wants+neighbours+charged+over+that/8397596/story.html
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