Prince George, B.C.- According to the Edmonton Sun, the owner of two horses rescued from the deep snow in the Renshaw area north of McBride just before Christmas, will be facing charges later this month. The paper quotes BC SPCA Animal Protection Officer Shawn Eccless as saying the investigation package with recommended charges will be presented to Crown by mid January.

 

The paper reports the suspected charges may be under the B.C. Animal Protection act, but the preferred charge  will be under the Criminal Code  for  abandoning an animal.

 

Investigating Animal Protection Officer Debbie Goodine isn’t prepared to confirm that account. She says the matter is still in the investigation stage and she is not prepared to discuss it at this point.

 

The two horses were rescued by a dedicated group of people from the McBride area who hand dug a trench more than a kilometre long in snow that was, in many places,  7 feet deep. Then walked the animals 27 kilometres on a forestry road. The rescue took place during the coldest of temperatures.

 

The two horses are now recuperating at a ranch in the Prince George area.