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Animal activist are being told not to take matters into their own hands after multiple cases of suspected animal cruelty and neglect in Oxford County.
The Ontario SPCA is asking the public to leave the issues up to investigators.
There has been outrage amongst local animal lovers after learning someone made incisions on a cat's scrotum that ended up causing severe infections. The cat had to be euthanized.
SPCA Officer Brad Dewar wouldn't speak to any specific knowledge of someone acting on their own, but says people need to leave the investigation up to the authorities. "It is essentially the Ontario SPCA and the police that have the legal authority to investigate cases of animal cruelty. Anyone who does have information needs to forward that on, and not act on it on their own accord."
Anyone trying to respond to the case on their own could be charged with impersonating an officer, and obstruction of an investigation.
Dewar says it may have been a case of someone trying to neuter the animal on their own, but either way, it's a concern. "How it came to happen is sort of irrelevant. The important fact is, veterinarians are there to do this type of surgery. If any one person is doing this on their own, then there is a concern that that could continue."
Dewar says there are numerous studies that show people who intentionally cause harm to animals can escalate the violence. "Those who commit acts of cruelty to animals are much more likely to commit crimes against humans and property."
Anyone with info in the case should call the Ontario SPCA at 1-888-ONT-SPCA (668-7722) ext. 327 or email cruelty@ospca.on.ca . You can also call Woodstock Police (537-2323) or Crime Stoppers (1800-222-8477).
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