Sooke resident, Dr. Philip Ney, has been charged with animal cruelty following the death of his 6 year old mix-breed dog "Star". Ney is a psychiatrist who ran for public office several times, including 2 terms as a Victoria School Board Trustee.
Senior SPCA animal protection officer Erika Paul says Star appeared to have had many litters of puppies over the years, including 14 puppies in January. Paul says according to Ney only 4 puppies in the litter survived and he believed the rest died from exposure to the elements.
Star had to be rushed to an emergency vet following the births, and the examining vet advised the dog likely had a dead fetus still inside her, and required further hospital care and possible life-saving surgery.
But Paul says Ney took Star home without further diagnostics or treatment. The dog was found dead 5 days later by a volunteer search group. The results of the necropsy confirmed there was a necrotic fetus in her birthing canal.
According to investigators Star's death would have been extremely painful as her abdomen was full of pus, and her uterus had ruptured.
Ney makes his first court appearance on Aug. 3rd at 9 a.m. at the Western Communities Courthouse.