The 21 dogs seized last October as part of an alleged Tilbury dog fighting ring are staying in the care of the Ontario SPCA despite a lawyer's claims the dogs are being treated cruelly, as the case returned to court on Friday.
Lawyer John Nunziata represents the rescue Dog Tales in King City, north of Toronto.
"Sadly, they're [the OSPCA] accusing the owners of the dogs of being cruel to the animals — and we agree if the allegations can be pointed out — yet they themselves are party to cruelty by housing them and not properly trying to rehabilitate them," says Nunziata.
Toronto lawyer John Nunziata at Chatham Superior Court on March 18, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
He implored a Chatham judge on Friday to approve a transfer of the dogs from the care of the Ontario SPCA to the Dog Tales facility — made out to be something akin to a luxury hotel.
"Dog Tales is a shelter that's unlike anything in the world," says Clare Forndran, speaking on behalf of the rescue. "Regardless of what conditions the dogs are being held in, they cannot compare to what we can offer."
The judge denied Nunziata's request, saying there wasn't an appropriate application filed and adding she didn't have the jurisdiction to make that decision.
The OSPCA provided comment on the matter to BlackburnNews.com, calling the claim "unfair."
An application from the OSPCA is looking to have the dogs euthanized after an assessment by their American counterparts found they were beyond rehabilitation. The application continues to move forward.
The case involving the alleged dog fighting has been moved to April 18 to provide more time for disclosure of information.
