FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Mounties in northeastern British Columbia are warning against misinformed vigilantism stemming from the case of a starving old dog that needed to be put down earlier this month.

It all began when Fort St. John RCMP say they got a call about the 16-year-old malnourished dog.

Officers had the dog examined by a veterinarian, who determined the most compassionate thing to do was put the animal down.

Police then learned that the dog’s owner had been admitted to hospital two months earlier and the dog had been left in the care of others on short notice.

That fact, however, apparently wasn’t known to some in the community.

RCMP say officers received a report of vandalism at the owner’s home that was apparently motivated by a perceived lack of care for the dog.

In a news release, police say that two wrongs don’t make a right and finding the truth is a better response than seeking retaliation or revenge.

Mounties say vigilante justice is not acceptable and, depending on the actions taken, could be prosecuted as a crime.