Distressed dog seized from N.S. trailer: ‘Time is of the essence’

The first complaint came in on May 18 about a dog left alone in an Eastern Passage trailer for long stretches of time.

The caller said someone appeared to be coming in every day or two to check on the boxer left alone in the Hawthorne Street trailer. But the dog wasn’t allowed out to relieve itself.

“A woman would run into the home and leave within 3-5 minutes,” Shannon Woodworth, a special constable with the SPCA, said in a warrant application.

Two of her colleagues visited the trailer on June 7.

‘Dog could be heard’

“There was no answer at the door,” Woodworth said. “Dog could be heard within.”

The special constables left their contact information hanging on the trailer’s door requesting the dog’s caregiver to call them.

They hadn’t heard anything back by the next day, so Woodworth visited the trailer.

“The door hanger was taken down,” she said.

Woodworth knocked on the door.

“A boxer breed dog moved the front bay window curtain of the trailer and began barking,” she said in information to obtain a warrant filed at Dartmouth provincial court.

“The dog had overgrown nails and was scratching itself.”

‘Potent smell of ammonia’

It was difficult to assess the dog through the window, Woodworth said, noting a “potent smell of ammonia was emanating from the residence.”

She found a dog tie attached to the front porch, but it was embedded in the ground.

Woodworth left an order to comply outside the trailer requesting contact.

Later that day, Amanda Fetinko called her.

She told the special constable that the trailer was her parents’ and that she would not set up an appointment for Woodworth to inspect the dog. Instead, Fetinko said she would drop off the boxer at the SPCA and surrender the dog.

Agreed to inspection 

“After a conversation with Woodworth, Fetinko stated she did not want to surrender the dog and agreed to allow Woodworth to inspect her dog, Jewel. Fetinko stated she is gone all day however she does reside within the trailer.”

Woodworth returned to the trailer June 9 with another special constable.

“Fetinko invited officers into the trailer. The trailer had a very strong potent odour of ammonia within, making it difficult to breathe despite a wax burner in the front entrance,” Woodworth said.

‘Loaded in garbage’

Fetinko told them she’d stayed up late cleaning the trailer.

“Fetinko pushed some debris from the kitchen into the living room and the rest into the hallway. Jewel had access to the bedroom which was also loaded in garbage and various debris making the home very unsanitary with urine staining in the floors.”

Jewel appeared “under socialized and timid,” Woodworth said.

The dog was hesitant to be touched and did not make eye contact, instead holding her head down, she said.

“The destruction within the home being a ripped-up couch, garbage bags ripped open, chewed windowsill, ripped debris such as towels signified the dog is under-stimulated and spends a significant time alone.”

Urine scalding

Jewel had urine scalding on her paws, inflamed ears, “thick and cloudy discharge emanating from the vaginal opening,” and overgrown nails, Woodworth said, noting the dog was also “super itchy.”

“Upon further inspection, Jewel had dry flakey skin and minor hair loss.”

Woodworth left a second order to comply with Fetinko regarding booking a vet appointment, trimming the dog’s nails and improving ventilation inside the trailer.

“Fetinko had no issue with complying,” she said.

Woodworth promised SPCA constables would check the dog again on June 16.

“Fetinko at this time had no issue with a seven day recheck date,” she said.

Nobody seen for three days 

But when the SPCA returned on June 21, a neighbour told officers he hadn’t seen anyone at the property for three days.

“There was no answer at the door. Order to comply was left requesting contact,” Woodworth said.

A special constable called Fetinko on June 22 to get an update on the progress of the fixes ordered to the trailer and the dog’s care.

“Fetinko stated that she did not do anything regarding the order as she felt it was unnecessary to comply and seven days was not enough time,” Woodworth said.

‘She would not be cleaning’

She was given another week to make the vet appointment.

“Fetinko also stated that she would not be cleaning the dwelling as the boxer would just make more of a mess.”

The special constable told her boxers are a “very high energy” breed that need exercise and stimulation.

They need stimulation and exercise, otherwise “they will destroy the home out of boredom,” Woodworth said.

‘Just a boxer’s way’ 

“Fetinko stated that it doesn’t matter what she does, that that is just a boxer’s way regardless of how often she is exercised. Fetinko refused to set up a time for Woodworth and (another SPCA officer) to come do the re-check inspection. Fetinko stated that she works too much to be dealing with this and she felt it was not logical for her to have to be involved with such matters.”

The SPCA constables urged her to comply, Woodworth said, noting the standards of care for the dwelling and the dog are set out in law.

‘Became irate’

“Fetinko became irate with (one of the constables) and stated that she will not be making time for this from work and will not be complying with the order. Fetinko ended the conversation.”

Woodworth tried contacting her again on June 22.

“Fetinko send Woodworth to voicemail.”

Two SPCA officers visited the trailer again that day. Their previous order to comply had been removed.

“No answer at door,” Woodworth said. “Dog can be heard within.”

She concluded that Jewel was in distress and her living conditions violated animal protection laws.

Obstructed investigation

Fetinko failed to produce the dog for inspection, provided false information and obstructed Woodworth’s investigation, the special constable alleged.

Animals living in conditions found in the trailer will eventually suffer from infections, she said, noting they also get distressed from dehydration knowing there’s no water present, as well as not having food for days at a time.

“I believe that time is of the essence and immediate action is required to relieve the distress on the dog,” Woodworth said.

She convinced a justice of the peace to grant a search warrant so the SPCA and Halifax Regional Police could search the trailer to inspect Jewel and her living conditions and seize the dog if necessary.

Jewel seized 

Authorities seized Jewel during the June 23 search. The dog is “to be held at Dartmouth, N.S., SPCA shelter,” Woodworth said, noting she was not making an application for Jewel’s detention.

Fetinko refused an interview Tuesday.

“My family’s trauma is under no circumstances appropriate for a newspaper article,” she said in an electronic message. “Absolutely not.”

While Woodworth said in her warrant application that she believes the case is one of permitting an animal to be in distress, Fetinko hasn’t been charged under the Animal Protection Act.

“This is an on-going investigation that I cannot comment on,” Sarah Lyon, who speaks for the Nova Scotia SPCA, said Tuesday in an email.