Animal cruelty case adjourned for fourth time

For the fourth time, the case of the 32-year-old man accused of shooting Buddy the Hero Dog has been adjourned.

Represented by his lawyer William Beach on July 30, Simeon Smith is now scheduled to appear in provincial offences court on Oct. 1 for either a plea or to set a date for trial.

Smith stands charged with one count of causing an animal to be in distress, one count of permitting the animal to be in distress, one count of failing to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention and one count of failing to humanely kill an animal by a method that is humane and minimizes the pain and distress of the animal.

If convicted under the Ontario SPCA Act, he could face a maximum of $60,000, up to two years in jail and a lifetime ban from owning animals.

Buddy died March 9 due to heart complications during a surgery to fix damage he sustained after being shot twice at close range in the face and head area with a shotgun. He had pellets embedded throughout his body. He survived the initial shooting, was found and brought to Walden Animal Hospital, where it seemed he was on the mend.

Posted by Arron Pickard