The owner of the Revelstoke Petting Zoo, James Richard Bruvall, has been charged with 24 counts of animal cruelty, the BCSPCA announced on Friday.
If convicted Bruvall faces a maximum sentence of up to five years, a $75,000 fine and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
The SPCA removed 15 animals, including a deceased pig from the property during a warrant executed in July 2017.
The animals found in distress included five horses, three pigs, two mini-horses, a lamb, an alpaca, a goat and a peacock.
They were suffering from lack of adequate food, shelter and veterinary control.
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“We are very pleased that charges have been approved against Mr. Bruvall,” said Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA. “This is a very sad case where profits were clearly placed before the welfare of the animals in his care. This individual was running a petting zoo and trail riding company using compromised animals and allowing them to suffer.”
A dead pig was taken to the Animal Health Centre in Abbotsford from the Revelstoke Petting Zoo in August 2017.
The results of testing showed the pig had streptococcus suis, a bacterial infection that can spread to people.
Between June and September 2017 the BCSPCA received 13 animal cruelty complaints about the Revelstoke Petting Zoo.
The petting zoo property in question is located just west of Revelstoke.
According to the BCSPCA all but one of the animals have been adopted into new homes.
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