A Duncan woman who pleaded guilty to neglecting an animal in a notorious case of dog abuse has received a lifetime ban on owning animals and ordered to 12-months probation.
At the start of the trial, Tooshley, 41, pleaded guilty to wilfully neglecting a dog, which had been found in a tangled mess of cable and rope tether in a yard on Feb. 16, 2018. his head was swollen nearly three times its normal size from a rope collar that had cut all the way down to his windpipe, severing both jugular veins.
The dog, called “Teddy” by his rescuers died two days later.
Crown prosecutor John Blackman told the court Tooshley was aware the dog was tethered in the yeard and aware of the animal’s condition.
Judge Mayland McKimm then ordered a pre-sentence report and a full Gladue report to assist the court at the sentencing of Tooshley, a member of the Cowichan Tribes. The Supreme Court of Canada’s 1999 Gladue ruling says sentencing judges must take into consideration the influence of things such as residential schools, the Sixties Scoop or child welfare system on Indigenous offenders.
On Thursday at a Duncan court, Tooshley received a one year suspended sentence. She will not go to jail but will be on probation for that period, and will have a criminal record.
Earlier this week, Tooshley’s co-accused Anderson Joe received a 90 day suspended sentence and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
CHEK News
