A second person is facing animal cruelty charges after a dog was found frozen to death in North Preston, N.S. before Christmas.
Halifax RCMP officers and members of the SPCA responded to the Simmonds Road home on Dec. 23 after receiving a complaint about a dead dog.
The Nova Scotia SPCA’s chief investigative officer told CTV News the female American Staffordshire terrier was found inside a dog house on the property.
David Ross said last month that the animal had been tied up with a chain and was frozen to the ground.
According to an email from the Nova Scotia SPCA, the necropsy results indicated the dog died of severe malnutrition and hypothermia.
A North Preston man identified as the owner of the home was charged with three counts of animal cruelty in the case earlier this week.
The SPCA says the owner of the dog came forward after the initial charges were laid. He too will be charged with three counts of animal cruelty under the Animal Protection Act.
Both men are facing charges of failing to provide an adequate source of food and water, failure to provide reasonable protection from injurious heat or cold and causing an animal to be in distress.
If convicted, they could face a lifetime prohibition on owning or having custody of animals, a maximum fine of $10,000, or six months in jail.
The province of Nova Scotia is drafting a new law that officials say deals with tethering dogs outside.
