No charges after dog seen dragging dumbbell from neck in Vancouver
Posted April 1, 2019 3:10 pm.
Last Updated April 1, 2019 8:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s a social media post that’s received a lot of attention, but police say no crime was committed.
Vancouver Police confirm no charges are being recommended after a concerning video involving a dog was posted to social media on March 31.
The canine is seen in the video dragging a heavy dumbbell from what looks like a leash tied around its neck near Abbott and Pender Streets in downtown Vancouver.
VPD Sergeant Jason Robillard says because the dog was healthy, meaning it showed no signs of abuse and was in good spirits, they let the owner go.
“After speaking to the dog owner, it was apparently a training method that the dog owner was using for sled training,” he says. “There was no evidence to support a criminal charge of any cruelty charges at this time.”
Robillard says it’s possible the man could get stopped again. “There’s always that concern [the man could do this again] but in this particular investigation we have no evidence to support a criminal charge.”
He adds police seized the dumbbell, which weighed roughly 30 lbs.
