A Quesnel woman has been charged with two offences related to alleged animal abuse following an investigation into the treatment of multiple animals in her care.
Crown Counsel approved two charges against 48-year-old Casey Arnold after more than 60 animals were seized from her Quesnel property December 2024.
BC SPCA rescued 59 dogs, including Chihuahuas, French bulldogs and cane corsos, from what they called at the time “an irrespossible breeder”, after the organization received reports of several injured dogs at the property.
In a news release after the seizure, SPCA said the property was littered with garbage, urine and old feces were stuck to the floor and dogs had access to injurious objects as well as medications.
Many of the dogs, including nursing moms, were extremely thin with their ribs, spines and hip bones prominently visible.
In addition to the dirty and unsafe living conditions, one litter of puppies, less than a week old, was seen with castration bands meant for docking on their tails.
The puppies were examined by a veterinarian at the time who concluded they were in severe pain and suffering from infections. Some of the puppies needed immediate surgery.
Tail docking and ear cropping for cosmetic purposes has been banned by the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia since 2016 because these procedures cause unnecessary pain and suffering, unless medically required to treat injury or disease.
Appeal won in different incident
Arnold has also recently won an appeal after a B.C. tribunal ruled that the BC SPCA had no right to take some of her pets in a separate incident.
An Oct. 7 B.C. Farm Industry Review Board decision says Arnold had a macaw, two parrots, a Chihuahua and a Pomeranian pup seized from from her RV by the SPCA this past summer in Oliver, where she currently resides.
The decision stated that at the time of the seizure, there were three birds and five dogs, three of which were puppies, living in the RV. Arnold appealed to get her pets back and the Review Board ruled in her favour.
In late July, BC SPCA showed up with a warrant and seized three birds, two dogs, three puppies and a sugar glider.
Arnold willingly gave up one dog, two puppies and the sugar glider, but appealed to get the other birds and dogs back.
The evidence presented to the panel showed that the Chihuahua and the Pomeranian were not in distress at the time of the seizure, but were well hydrated and there were no signs of pain.
The Review Board added that those animals should be returned to Arnold, that they should have not been removed from her care in the first place, and should be returned without delay.
In regards to the macaw and the parrots, the panel said it doesn’t find that Arnold’s previous history with SPCA demonstrates the concerns raised by the society.
“Of the previous complaint files the society had involving (Arnold), only one – the last one – resulted in a finding of distress and seizure,” the panel’s decision reads.
“Most of the previous complaints were from neighbours related to noise and dog fights, and some related to the appellant’s practice of cropping the ears and docking the tails of her Cane Corso dogs. Some resulted in notices from the society with respect to standards of cleanliness of commercial kennels.”
The SPCA argued that Arnold was breaching an earlier agreement that she wasn’t allowed to own dogs.
While the Review Board recognizes that SPCA proved that Arnold had breached the return agreement and therefore could not be trusted to maintain a distress-free environment for the birds going forward, they found that Arnold had, for the most part, upheld the conditions of the agreement.
“In instances where breaches did occur, they do not represent failures that amount to clear instances of abuse or neglect,” the decision reads.
The Review Board also added that Arnold’s circumstances have changed significantly, as she no longer operates a commercial kennel for large breed dogs and no longer houses the number of animals she had when running a kennel.
“She moved from Quesnel to an RV park in Oliver in March 2025 and began buying and selling puppies to make ends meet, all were small breed dogs without a prey instinct,” the decision reads.
“They did not interact with the parrots, and while perhaps annoying, did not put the birds in any danger.”
SPCA also argued that Arnold’s RV was not a safe place to keep the pets, adding that there was garbage inside and around the RV as well as plenty of feces.
The board found there was just clutter and that the feces were restricted to pee mats spread around the RV. The decision also stated that ammonia readings in the RV were below detectable levels.
The SPCA presented evidence from several veterinarians who testified that the animals should not be given back to Arnold. Despite that, the board found the birds were properly hydrated and at a healthy weight.
The decision stated that both the macaw named Phoebe and one of the parrots named Gary were both rescue birds and, despite SPCA wanting them to be re-homed elsewhere, the board disagreed and said both birds show signs of trauma that would require an owner to make incremental improvements over time.
“That is exactly what (Arnold) has demonstrated while they have been in her care,” the decision reads.
“Arnold has experience with these birds and loves them. What she needs to do is create for them an environment that will, to the greatest extent possible, help them thrive and overcome the trauma of their early years.”
The Review Board added that evidence showed a strong mutual bond between Arnold and the birds.
However, the panel ruled both Phoebe and Gary, should remain with SPCA until Arnold finds more appropriate housing.
Arnold will also have to pay $4,883 in costs before she can get both Gary and Phoebe back. She has a 60-day period to pay or the birds will become property of BC SPCA.
New court date set for November
Charges against Arnold related to the alleged animal abuse in Quesnel last year were sworn in Tuesday, Oct. 28 with her first court appearance occuring the following day.
She faces one count of causing unnecessary pain and/or suffering to an animal and one count for failling to provide necessaries for an animal.
Her next court date is set for Nov. 18 at the Quesnel Law Courts.
– with files from Austin Kelly