A 23-year-old Barrie woman is facing an animal cruelty charge.
Barrie police say the charge was laid following an investigation that began in late July, when a female dog was brought to a local emergency veterinary clinic that was reportedly severely neglected.
The dog could not be saved, police added.
Police and the province's animal welfare services, which is conducting a parallel investigation into this matter, confirmed the Boxer-German Shepherd mix had recently given birth to a litter of eight puppies. The pups are now in safe homes.
"The investigation, which focused on the care the dog received while in the custody of the now accused, was able to confirm that there was a failure to provide proper nutrition and veterinary care over a prolonged period of time," police said in a news release.
The accused has a court date on Sept. 8.
"The Barrie Police Service takes allegations involving animal cruelty very seriously and reminds all pet owners that proper care, including efforts to control the pet population, is a priority when it comes to pet ownership," police stated in the news release.
