82 animals seized from Alberta rural property during police investigation
Southern Alberta RCMP have charged a 44-year-old man in connection with an investigation that saw 82 animals in distress seized from a home in Mountain View County, north of Calgary.
The investigation began on April 22, when Mounties arrested a man leaving a rural property with a truck hauling a trailer loaded with a skid steer. All of the vehicles turned out to be stolen, police said, so they obtained a search warrant for the home.
Officers arrested a resident and located the following during the search:
- Six stolen trucks;
- Four utility trailers;
- A Polaris ATV;
- A Raptor Keystone RV;
- Two flat deck trailers;
- Two shotguns;
- A bolt-action rifle;
- Two .22-calibre rifles;
- Thousands of rounds of ammunition;
- Six industrial heaters; and
- A red Norco Sight VLT 12-speed mountain bike with the serial number removed.
In addition with the stolen property, police also discovered numerous animals in distress.
Fifty-six dogs of various breeds were seized from the property, as well as 10 sheep, nine llamas, four chickens and three geese.
The investigation into the welfare of the animals is being conducted by the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
- Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
Michael McGill, of Mountain View County, is charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, failure to comply with a release order and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
No charges have been laid against the accused in relation to the animals as the SPCA's investigation is still ongoing.
However, the organization says the additional seizures have added to "an extensive list" of animals in the SPCA's care.
Officials say since March, 250 animals have been seized by or surrendered to the agency, with the most coming from four investigations.
"Our team, and the animal welfare community as a whole, is facing unprecedented pressure this spring," said Alberta SPCA executive director Leanne Niblock in a news release.
"Rising costs of living, lingering impacts of the pandemic, and climate change leading to drought and wildfire just exacerbate the already desperate situation. These large rescues add enormously to the pressure, and to be blunt, to our expenses."
If anyone is looking to help the SPCA care for seized animals, they can do so by fostering or donating funds.
Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for the SPCA told CTV News that the dogs won't be available until they're given medical clearance.
“We’re getting a lot of calls from people who want to foster or adopt these dogs (as we expected)," he said. "If it’s possible to mention in the story that the animals are being medically evaluated and are not available for adoption at this time, we’d appreciate it.”
Additional details can be found on the SPCA's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest finally got down to musical business Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.