A Calgary dog owner is facing a number of charges stemming from a photo that went viral on Facebook.
The photo, which was taken and posted by Ryan Harris on October 28th, shows Volodymyr Irodenko towing his dog on a flatbed trailer while driving down the Stoney Trail freeway.
The reaction to the photo was as negative as you’d expect and, as it circulated on social media, an investigation was launched by the Calgary Police Service.
On November 11th, Irodenko was charged under municipal, provincial and federal legislation for a number of offenses.
The charges range from causing an animal to be in distress to transporting an animal outside the cab of a vehicle.
“Transporting dogs in the beds of trucks can be incredibly dangerous to the dog, between exposure to extreme weather and the risk of falling,” explained Brad Nichols, senior manager of Animal Cruelty Investigations.
“This offense is aggravated by the manner in which this dog was being transported, on a flatbed with no side rails to keep him on the trailer.”
The dog is currently in the care of the Calgary Humane Society.
