Dog walker pleads guilty in 6 dog deaths

[Catherine]

Do you remember the B.C. dog walker who left the dogs in the back of her truck instead of walking them. When she returned and found them dead, she dumped their bodies and claimed they had been stolen.
She has just pleaded guilty to the crimes and will be sentenced in Jan.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...-1.2832645

I doubt it is much comfort to the owners who lost their dogs, but at least they do not have to go through a lengthy trial. I do hope the sentence fits the crime.

[Tobi]

I have a feeling this woman already is overcome by what she did. It is a harsh lesson for her, and one she didn't need to go through, if she'd had a little less selfishness and more insight.
It is quite amazing how many people STILL don't take seriously enough how dangerous it is to leave a dog in a vehicle in hot weather. Some people still think leaving water for them, parking in semi-shade, or leaving a window cracked open is okay.

[Catherine]

As a "professional" dog walker she should have known the dangers. In fact I am sure she knew the dangers, but she choose to ignore them. The real crime is the fact that at the time they died, she was being paid to walk the dogs. People trusted her and she took their money to perform a service. Instead she left them to die in a hot vehicle.

The business after that where she pretended the dogs had been stolen was cruel. People actually hoped they would see their dogs again. Dumping them in a ditch was added cruelty for the owners who loved their dogs and paid for the best of care for them.

I think she will get more than a fine because there is so much about the situation that was wrong.

[LPC]

I totally agree with all you have written, Catherine. She risks a heavy sentence, for the reasons you have rightly given above. I am not defending her actions in any way. However, her own dog was killed in this tragedy, along with all the other poor dogs. I suspect that she already deeply regrets her misdeeds. The loss of her own dog will be a lifelong reminder to her, whilst the punishment of the court will just be for a set period of time. Guilt lies heavy on the human breast. She must, of course, serve whatever punishment the court metes out, but I hope that she will ultimately move out of this dark shadow in her life and dedicate herself to doing good, for example raising money for animal charities. She can, sadly, not bring those dogs back to their lives on earth. But there are always ways to make amends. I hope that she learns.

[Catherine]

She really does need to do something to atone for what she did. She will never be allowed to run a dog walking business again and rightly so. How could you ever trust her. Actually how could you trust her in any job at this point.

She will need to do a lot to fix this mess. I hope she is willing to do it. Things couldn't have too good if she left dogs in her care in a hot vehicle while she was being paid to walk them.

I think public opinion is strong against her.

One thing comes to mind, she made the choice to leave her own dog in a hot vehicle. The owners of the other dogs did not make that decision. She made it for them. That is what makes the situation more complicated and much worse.