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One year in jail for leaving dog to starve.
#1
A man moved out of his apartment and moved across the country. What he didn't do is take his dog with him. Instead he left it locked in his apartment  where it was found later by the landlord. The dog died of starvation and dehydration. It had torn the apartment to pieces trying to find food.
The man was charged with willfully causing pain and suffering to an animal. He pleaded guilty When it came to sentencing the Judge gave him a year in jail. It doesn't make up for what the dog suffered, but it does send a message.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/man-who-mo...-1.4387053

The hope is that a sentence of a year is enough to make people think twice before committing an act of animal cruelty.
If he a tied the dog out side or just turned him lose at least the dog would have had a chance. 
Of course the responsible thing would have been to take the dog to an animal shelter. There were possibilities and choices. Leaving the dog locked in the apartment was the one totally wrong choice. He could even have called someone after he left and told them the dog was locked in an abandoned apartment. I hope his year in jail gives him time to think over what he did wrong.
It is still nothing compared to what the dog went through.
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Catherine

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#2
One can only imagine the suffering the dog went through. The custodial sentence may make the public feel that "justice has been done", but my greater concern is that this human was *not* banned for life from owning dogs. From the article:

"According to the SPCA, Springer will also be prohibited from owning animals or residing in the same premises as animals for three years after his release."
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#3
I absolutely agree that to do such a thing to a dog, or any other animal is a serious crime, and that should be reflected in the sentence passed.

Sadly though, I feel anyone who is capable of such selfish heartlessness is unlikely to be changed by a year in jail, or even a number of years in jail. They will blame the authorities, the judicial system, and goodness knows what else, and are probably only going to be bitter about it.
I very much doubt if being incarcerated with criminals who have committed rape, murder, and whatever else, is going to change them.

The only thing which has a hope of doing so, is something that reaches their conscience and their heart.
To become fully and deeply aware of the suffering they have caused, the betrayal of trust, and what kindness feels like (and what it feels like to be utterly abandoned by kindness)
And then to start to learn what love is.

That poor dear dog. My prayers and kindest wishes for its Soul in the next world.
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#4
I noticed that the ban against owning animals was very short. There never give out a life time ban. Even extreme animal abusers are not banned for life.

I think you are right that a year in jail won't change someone. It might make someone else stop and think before they do something similar. 
Oddly in prison murderers and rapists will look down on someone who left his dog to starve. It is not going to be an easy year for him. Maybe at some point he will think of his poor dog locked in with no hope of escape, suffering and dying. 

I hope the poor dog didn't lose hope before he died. He must have believed his person would return in time to save him. Even though the guy didn't deserve such loyalty I hope the dog had that to sustain him until the end.
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Catherine

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