Cape Breton man charged following reports dog was dragged behind truck

A Cape Breton man has been charged in connection to a dog’s death following reports the animal was tethered to a truck that was being driven through Marion Bridge last Friday.

The dog did not survive.

“I can tell you that this type of incident is not something that we see very often. It is very tragic,” SPCA’s acting chief provincial inspector Karen DeWolfe said in an interview with CTV News Tuesday.

Police called the agency Friday afternoon to report the incident, DeWolfe said.

Hugh Matthews, 34, has been charged with causing distress to an animal under the Animal Protection Act of Nova Scotia, and is scheduled to appear in Sydney provincial court on Oct. 27.

“It’s up to the courts to decide whether that (a conviction) means a fine, or prohibition of owning an animal,” DeWolfe said.

Due to the ongoing investigation, DeWolfe declined to say whether the incident appeared to be accidental or intentional.

“I think most people would hope that is the case (that it was an accident). But that’s not a detail we can share at this time,” she said.

Jason Church, the owner of Church’s Valufood and Esso in the community of Marion Bridge, said his 12-year-old son was among those that saw the incident.

Church said his son reported what looked to be a boxer-mix dog being dragged by a leash from the back of a truck that pulled into the gas station Friday afternoon.

“He had a panic attack and he passed out,” Church said in an interview Tuesday.

Church said there were about 15 people outside in front of the supermarket when the vehicle pulled up. People were screaming and shouting at the driver and some attempted to block him from leaving, he said.

“He put the dog in the back of his truck and drove off towards Sydney,” Church said, adding that a trail of blood could be seen along Gabarus Highway.

Church said his son remains shaken by what he saw.

“Everyone’s talking about it, everyone’s calling the store and asking what happened… it’s just beyond me how you don’t see that or notice that you’re dragging your dog,” he said.

Staff from the SPCA were on site at the supermarket and gas station over the weekend and again Tuesday morning, Church said.

DeWolfe is asking anyone in the community who witnessed the incident to reach out to the SPCA.

“It is a very tragic event and it’s going to affect a lot of people in the community,” she said.

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