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Charges laid in fatal dog shooting

Two men from Lower Mainland face charges 16 months after Jemma's death
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Jemma Shot Two men from the Lower Mainland have been charged after a six-year-old dog was shot and killed at a campsite 16 months ago. Photo submitted

After almost a year and a half, charges have now been laid against two men from the Lower Mainland in the shooting death of a six-year old dog named Jemma.

The faithful canine was shot on June 15, 2012 not far from the Squamish Riverside Campsite on the Squamish Valley Road.

For her owner Anthony Catton, no penalty could make up for his loss.

"Whatever the penalty imposed to these two, and I am sure it will be a minor slap on the wrist, it will never compare to the price I paid in witnessing the undue suffering and slow murder of my loving and faithful companion last summer," said Catton when he learned of the charges.

Inspector Chris Doyle of the Conservation Officer Service confirmed the charges this week.

"One male from Lion's Bay and one male from Port Coquitlam have been charged with dangerous hunting through the Wildlife Act," said Doyle.

The maximum sentence under Section 28 of the Wildlife Act is up to a $250,000 fine and two-year imprisonment, though jail time is unlikely. It is not clear why there was such a delay from the time charges were recommended to the crown, to counsel actually laying the charges.

Jemma was a six-year-old black Australian kelpie Lab cross who was wearing a bright orange safety collar and an orange beaded Mexican necklace when she was shot around 5 p.m.

"The evidence uncovered in the investigation (will undoubtedly prove) that these two alleged killers knew it was a dog they were about to shoot," said Catton. "Nobody shoots a 60 pound dog twice in the chest right beside its neon orange collar and a bright bandanna at close range, especially while it is sniffing grass on a hill in plain site. Also, there was some serious endangerment to my life as well, that hasn't been dealt with as I was behind a tree 15 feet away when the bullets struck."

The men are due to appear in a North Vancouver court on Nov. 20.