Charges ‘highly likely’ for North Okanagan animal abuse suspect

VERNON –  The B.C. SPCA has said it’s “highly likely” they will be recommending charges against a Vernon area woman who recently had over 50 animals seized from her property.

BC SPCA spokesperson Eileen Drever told iNFOnews.ca they were currently investigating after the organization seized dozens of animals from a property on Irish Creek Road, owned by Carla Christman.

"It's highly likely we will be recommending charges [to Crown counsel],” Drever said. The SPCA spokesperson said due to the sheer number of animals seized, the investigation was likely to take several weeks and charges would only be recommended to Crown once the investigation was complete. 

The main priority at this time is to relive the distress that many of the animals are currently in, she said. The B.C. SPCA is not giving out the locations where the animals are currently being kept.

Drever confirmed 42 horses, and not 46 as previously reported by the SPCA, four dogs and four pigs were taken from the property March 25 during the execution of a warrant.

If Christman is charged ,it won't be the first time she's been in court over animal cruelty. In 2012 she pled guilty to a charge of "failing to provide necessaries for an animal."

Media reports that Christman was back under SPCA investigation surfaced early this month, then on March 15, the house on Christman's property was completely razed by a fire. The occupants managed to escape without injury and no animals were harmed in the blaze.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.