Three separate cases involving animal cruelty were before the courts in Calgary on Tuesday.
One of the cases involved Bradley Bergman. The 56-year-old pled guilty to tying a noose around the neck of his girlfriend's dog and threatening to hand and gut the animal.
While the cases were going on inside, The Daisy Foundation held a demonstration outside.
"As far as the law goes, because this was his property, he's probably going to get away with it, because of the property law in Canada - that animals are considered property – which is ridiculous," says Heather Anderson, a member of the animal rights group.
Also in court on Tuesday was Donald Ainsworth. He pled guilty to animal cruelty for beating his dog with a flashlight – an assault that left the animal blind in one eye.
The third case involved a man accused of beating to death a four-month-old puppy. This case has been set over.
"It just goes to show how many cases are really happening in this county. And when you consider these are the cases going to court, what about the ones that didn't have enough evidence," says Anderson.
The Daisy Foundation says changes are needed to Canadian law so animal abusers are given stiffer sentences.
The group is lobbying the federal government to pass Bill C-229.
To find out more, click on the link for Stop Animal Cruelty.
