**** NS SPCA Media Release
A 24-year-old man from Halifax, has been charged with animal cruelty under the Animal Protection Act of Nova Scotia.
Joel Goodyear was charged with causing his dog to be in distress contrary to section 21 (1) of the Animal Protection Act of NS.
In October 2019, SPCA officers received a call from a complainant indicating that they were in possession of security footage that showed a man allegedly abusing a dog.
SPCA officers attended the apartment complex and viewed the video that had alleged the abuse of a dog. As a direct result of the incident, the dog was seized and taken into SPCA custody.
In Nova Scotia, when an animal is seized by an enforcement agency including the SPCA, the owner has a right to an appeal by the Animal Welfare Appeal Board. On November 25th, an appeal hearing was held in Enfield, NS. On November 27, 2019, the decision of the board was to return the dog back to the custody of Goodyear.
On November 25, 2019, Joel Goodyear was served a summons and is scheduled to appear in Halifax court on December 18, 2019.
Chief Provincial Inspector JoAnne Landsburg said, “I’m very disappointed with the board’s decision in this case despite 2 reports from experts indicating the dog should not be returned to the owner.”
The NS SPCA operates on a policy of zero tolerance for animal cruelty and sets the standard of animal care for the province of Nova Scotia. The NS SPCA urges you to report acts of animal cruelty by contacting our confidential toll-free hotline at 1-888-703-7722