Canada: Why won't authorities charge the 'college student in his 20s' who starved this Husky nearly to death?

Update to story: "Canada: College student Yu Lin, 24, charged with cruelty for starving Husky named Willow"

CANADA -- The case of an extremely emaciated husky belonging to a Coquitlam man is still awaiting a decision by Crown counsel.

The BC SPCA forwarded charges of animal cruelty against the owner of Willow, a Siberian husky found emaciated in Maple Ridge in mid-February, but AFTER SEVEN MONTHS(!) is still waiting for them to be approved.  

“We don’t have any reason to believe charges wouldn’t be approved, but the decision is with Crown,” said Marcie Moriarty, the SPCA’s chief prevention and enforcement officer.

The young dog was found wandering in Maple Ridge on Jan. 31 and weighed 15 kilograms (33 pounds) at intake, compared to a normal weight of about 24 kilograms (53 pounds) for a dog of her age and breed.

She was extremely weak and had been eating gravel and dirt to try to stay alive.

A week later, the SPCA said it had identified Willow’s owner, an SFU student in his 20s who lives in Coquitlam.

A neighbour reportedly came forward with information about the man.

The name of the dog’s owner has not been released.

The SPCA recommended animal cruelty charges under both the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Criminal Code.

While she couldn’t discuss details of the case, Moriarty said it was important charges be laid, noting the owner had the means to care for the dog.  

“It’s a pretty egregious situation of animal neglect,” she told the Tri-Cities NOW.

“If the charges are approved, we don’t feel this individual should have the privilege of owning animals in the future given how he’s demonstrated, in our opinion, a complete inability to look after them in the past.”

In March, Willow was adopted by a new family, after gaining more than nine kilograms (20 pounds).

(Tri City News - Sept 9, 2015)