Edmonton's animal cruelty investigations unit an example for other police services
CBC
It started with a puppy they named Tucker.
In 2017, constables Ilka Cunningham and Ted Dyck with the Edmonton Police Service were sent to an animal cruelty call and found a puppy that had been beaten.
"When we seized [the puppy], I noticed that one of his eyes was quite bloodshot," Cunningham said.
"We took him to the emergency vet and [the pup] had some trauma to his eye from probably being punched or kicked."
She said the dog got its name because of how "tuckered out" he looked when they were driving him to the veterinary clinic.
"We had a ride-along with us that day who was holding him in his arms, and the puppy ... melted into his arms and fell asleep."
The pit bull mix made a full recovery, but Dyck said he and his partner made a lot of mistakes in the investigation.
"We didn't get any veterinary statements and the biggest thing is that we didn't know anything about the provincial Animal Protection Act," said Dyck, who, with Cunningham, now leads the police force's animal cruelty investigations unit.
It officially formed in May and is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.
Cunningham said Tucker's case would have been "bulletproof" if the officers had been trained to deal with animal cruelty files and known what is needed to prosecute abusers.
"We did get a conviction, but it certainly wasn't jail time or a very high fine," she said.
Tucker was the catalyst for them to take on more animal abuse cases.
"We were still front-line patrol members, but we were doing these animal files off the side of our desk," Dyck said.
He and Cunningham reached out to police services throughout Canada for advice, but couldn't find a dedicated unit for animal cruelty investigations.
Some Canadian seniors say they're feeling abandoned by the Liberal government's latest inflation relief measure after learning they don't qualify for it.
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The weather has certainly been gloomy, damp and windy over the past 10 days in Nova Scotia and it's going to continue this weekend.
Premier Susan Holt says the federal tax holiday on some goods announced Thursday could cost New Brunswick $62 million in revenue.
Thousands in Quebec's Montérégie region will not get their flu and COVID-19 vaccine directly at their seniors' residence anymore.
A 17-year-old boy is dead after he was shot by an RCMP officer in Norway House Cree Nation on Friday.
Saskatchewan road crews and residents alike are getting ready for another icy blast of winter this weekend.
Student leaders at the University of Alberta are criticizing the school's plan to hike tuition — particularly for international students.
Environment Canada says a new fall storm will bring winds gusting up to 110 km/h to southwestern British Columbia on Friday, potentially causing more outages and travel disruption.
Environment Canada says strong winds could cause damage to roofs and windows in P.E.I.'s Kings County and Prince County this weekend, with power outages possible from fallen tree branches.
City council has approved a 3.6 per cent increase in municipal property taxes for next year. The decision follows five days of debate on adjustments to next year's civic budget.