R v Smith, [1991] Yukon Registry No. 90-07721

Statute: Criminal Code,
Section: 446(1)(a)
Province or Territory: Yukon,
Offence: Neglect,
Animal: Dog,
Type of Distress: Failure to provide suitably sized collar; caused collar to grow into neck
Sentence: Acquitted
Legal Issue:

Case seemed to focus on technical wording; who was the “owner”, what was “wilful”, etc. Concluded there was negligence (in the civil sense) but not satisfied BRD that they “wilfully permitted to be caused unnecessary pain to the dog by failure to provide a suitably sized collar.”