B.C. court rejects payment demanded for dead puppies

The Provincial Court of British Columbia has ruled a Port Alberni couple does not have to pay damages to an animal rescue business when a dog gave birth to puppies after it was adopted.

According to court documents, Allison Penko and Herbert Dwyer’s new dog, Maddie, was adopted from Ziggy’s Rescue in Port Alberni.

But Maddie was pregnant and gave birth to nine puppies, two of which died shortly after being born. The couple then surrendered the puppies to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [SPCA].

Laura Snoek of Ziggy’s Rescue took Penko and Dwyer to court alleging thousands in damages for failing to return the puppies to the facility, arguing the adoption wasn’t finalized until Maddie had been spayed.

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Snoek eventually got the puppies from the SPCA which she later sold; however, she wanted $1,400 for the two puppies that died and $5,000 for “loss of revenue”.

Justice Alex Wolf ruled that Snoek was not entitled to any damages as she made a profit from the puppies, and Maddie now has a safe home.

“With respect to damages, I conclude that neither party has proven on the balance of probabilities that any damages should be payable to the other,” the court report reads.

Wolf ruled that Snoek pay Penko and Dwyer their court fees.