Deanna Thompson, Executive Director of the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society, said her staff members were excited when they heard the news of April Irving’s recent arrest stemming from when she had 201 dogs seized in 2014.
Alberta woman April Irving is accused of dog hoarding and animal cruelty. The dogs were seized from her Milk River, Alta. property in 2014. After failing to show up to court dates in Lethbridge in 2016, she was arrested January 16, 2019 in Manitoba.
Gracie weighed 9 kg when she was taken into care from April Irving’s property in Milk River, Alberta. (AARCS)
Thompson said the bans are great but she wants to see check-ups to make sure people are complying.
“We need to be able to ensure that these people don’t have animals,” she said. “Just because they have a ban doesn’t mean that they’re not going to have animals in their care.”
Thompson said she’s heard of another case where people had a ban in one province and moved to the next one.
“I can see it being common practice if the authorities aren’t able to talk to each other about the bans that these people have in place,” she said.
Milk River Dogs 4 years later
Thompson said all 201 Milk River dogs were adopted. She said her organization and others throughout Alberta and British Columbia took in animals to rehabilitiate and rehome them.
“We’re just really happy that the animals that were rescued are doing well in their new homes,” she said. “Amazing to see their transformations.”
Thompson said she hopes the case of April Irving can be an example to others.
“I think people need to realise that animals are sentient beings and that they are protected although not well under the law,” Thompson said. “It’s one of the worst cases of neglect and abuse we’ve ever seen and I think as a society we don’t condone that behaviour so we have to be able to set a precedent that this will not be something that we will put up with.”
Thompson said her organization will be watching Irving’s court case closely.
“We hope that she makes it back here to Alberta so that we can attend her court appearances and watch this unfold because I really do hope that we will see justice for these animals,” Thompson said. “And now it’s time.”