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Two family dogs shot, carcasses left in gravel pit northwest of Chase

Owner shaken, Kamloops SPCA investigating the deaths

Ryan Fenton was understandably disturbed when he and a buddy went for a drive, only to discover two recently killed dogs in a gravel pit.

Fenton and his friend were driving on McGillivray Creek Road between Chase and Kamloops when they stopped at the gravel pit. He said he thinks it’s often used to dump road-kill carcasses, but as they were leaving they saw what they thought at first were coyotes.

A closer look revealed they weren’t. One still had a chain around its neck.

There were three dogs, one which looked like it had been dead for about a month and two others that had died much more recently. He estimated they were probably shot no more than three days before he discovered them on Monday, June 15.

Fenton took to the Internet, in hopes of gathering information.

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He learned who the owner is, so he went for a visit.

Fenton said the man was visibly shaken by the photos and said both dogs were his and his family’s. Fenton said he hadn’t seen them for a couple of days but he has several kids so hadn’t being paying too much attention to the dogs.

The owner told Fenton the black dog was 17 years old. He said they didn’t chase livestock but perhaps the brutal act was connected to barking.

Fenton said the SPCA and possibly the police are involved.

Sgt. Barry Kennedy with Chase RCMP said that very soon after the incident was reported to police they heard from the Kamloops SPCA that it is investigating. Kennedy said police would not be duplicating efforts because it is a cruelty to animals investigation. The SPCA could not be reached.

Fenton is disgusted with the killing.

“A 17-year-old dog – obviously it’s not going to harm anyone.”

He said he once had a couple of his dogs poisoned; he knows how cruel it is.

“Dogs are family.”



newsroom@saobserver.net

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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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