More than a year after dozens of dogs were seized, the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) said they had been granted ownership of the animals.
EHS said a judge granted full ownership of the 34 bully-breed dogs, seized in November, 2016 following reports of a breeding operation.
As a result of the investigation, Justin Iverson faced eight charges under the Animal Protection Act in December, 2016, including causing or permitting an animal to be in distress, failure to provide adequate food or water, failure to provide adequate care when wounded or ill, and failure to provide adequate shelter, ventilation and space.
Edmonton police and RCMP also laid charges against Iverson, the latter after nine other dogs were seized from a home outside of Edmonton.
EHS CEO Miranda Jordan-Smith said the organization was pleased by the development.
“This case sets a precedent for animal welfare in Alberta, where EHS exercised the full extent of the law to ensure the humane treatment of animals in our care,” Jordan-Smith said in a statement. “Now that ownership has transferred to us, the extensive care necessary to give these dogs the best possible futures can be provided.”
The criminal case is still ongoing, so EHS could not release additional details on the animals, and there is no timeline for when the dogs will be available for adoption, as EHS said many need special treatment and surgeries.
EHS said those treatments and surgeries could not be completed before, due to the complex civil and criminal cases.
