A particularily gruesome and heartbreaking case of animal abuse in Duncan, BC has deeply affected at least one SPCA staff member.
Despite round-the-clock efforts by vets to save a large mixed breed they named 'Teddy', the severely abused and emaciated animal died shortly after being rescued.
Marcie Moriarty, Chief Prevention and Enforcement Office for the BC SPCA, says this case was so horrific -- she cried.
"(He was) chained to a very short chain in just terrible living conditions. The most disturbing part of the story is the dog had an imbedded collar that was so ingrown, the dog's trachea and jugular vein were actually exposed."
Marcie is also upset no one reported the abuse until it was too late.
"This dog was in plain sight and the SPCA constables tell me the stench from the infection was just overwhelming. So I don't know how - day in and day out - you could walk past this animal and not do something."
Duncan BC residents Anderson Joe and Melissa Tooshley face up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine for cruelty. They may also be given a lifetime ban on owning animals.
Marcie Moriarty says British Columbia has never seen a five year jail sentence handed down for animal cruelty.
But outside of harsher sentences, she adds more education and awareness is needed to stop animal abuse cases from occurring.