RCMP investigating animal cruelty case

The small community of Taber has been left aghast after the discovery of animal cruelty just south of town by two local youth as a dog was found deceased, tied to a fence post last Friday.

Kassidy Czerniak and Siobhan Todd were driving their quads around the area when the grisly discovery was made.

“They had to have opened a gate to get into that land. It’s pretty much a centre divider of four different properties,” said Cheri Visser, who was contacted by the youth thinking she may know the owners of the dog having stabled horses near by. “They probably didn’t think the dog would be found because no one really goes back there.”

But the dog was indeed found, and a Taber/Vauxhall RCMP investigation has confirmed the dog was beaten with a blunt object, possibly a nearby steering wheel, as well as being shot and strung-up by baler twine by the neck on the post.

“It had to have happened within the last two days (since last Friday) because any longer and the coyotes would have had him,” said Visser of the male black lab estimated to be just a year old maximum in a Friday interview with The Times. “I’ve gone through every emotion. It was taken to the vet, I couldn’t see it anymore. This is disturbing that someone can do this to an animal. This needs to stop.”

On the Stop Animal Abuse Alberta Facebook Page, Visser talked about the case and offered a reward leading up to the arrest of the individual or group of people involved with the animal’s death. Others have also added to the reward amount on the social media site which is also calling for harsher penalties against animal abusers and reaching out to places like Brooks, Medicine Hat, Taber and Coaldale in search of the culprit(s) as a petition locally is also being circulated.

“We are trying to create awareness of animal abuse. We’re trying to get the penalties harsher. If someone is going to hurt an animal like that, what are they going to do to either their children or people around them?,” questioned Todd.

“It’s sick, and whoever did it, there’s something wrong with them.”

Todd was the first to stumble upon the dead dog. With too much ice on the ground for their quads, the young adults got off their machines for a cigarette break when Todd saw something in the distance.

“I saw something black at the corner of the fence and I went over there and found the dog,” said Todd. “It was honestly one of the worst things I’ve ever seen done to an animal. I’m an animal lover and dogs are my number-one animal. It was awfully heart-breaking seeing this dog wasn’t that old.”

The Taber/Vauxhall RCMP have identified persons of interest as confirmed in a press release on Monday and, as this matter is still under investigation, no additional details were released by the RCMP as of press time.

If you have information regarding this or any other crime, please contact the Taber/Vauxhall RCMP Detachment at 403-223-4447 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). They want your tip, not your name, and you could receive up to $2000 for any tip leading to an arrest.