Canada: Unnamed man and woman charged with animal cruelty after their dog was found so badly disfigured it had to be euthanized

CANADA -- Quebec City police say two people are facing charges related to animal cruelty after a dog was found so badly disfigured it had to be euthanized.

A 57-year-old man and 64-year-old woman were arrested Friday and released later that afternoon on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Police opened an investigation after the new tenant at an apartment in the city's Saint-Sauveur neighborhood discovered the dog, which appeared to have part of its face torn off, behind a building last week.

The discovery coincided with Quebec's July 1 moving day, a time of year when family pets are sometimes left behind when their owners move away.

Felix Tremblay, spokesperson for Quebec's Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA), said the organization is pleased police took the case seriously.

"Now what we're hoping for is that the Crown prosecutors will prosecute the two people arrested at the full extent of the law," he said.

Under the Criminal Code, those found guilty of charges related to animal cruelty can face up to five years in prison.

"We feel that if the legislature has allowed for such a sentence, that's for extreme cases and we're certainly convinced this was an extreme case," he said.

(CBC - July 8, 2017)