B.C dog walker awaits sentence for canine deaths; pet owners call for jail time

SURREY, B.C. – A Vancouver-area dog walker who admitted to killing six dogs by leaving them in a hot truck will be sentenced next week.

Emma Paulsen appeared in a Surrey, B.C., court on Wednesday for a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty last November to animal cruelty and mischief.

The Crown is calling for three to six months in jail, a $10,000 fine, a lifetime ban from looking after animals, and a 10-year ban on living with any animals.

The defence is asking the judge to impose a conditional sentence to be served in the community so Paulsen can continue to work.

Paulsen says the dogs were in the shade when they died in her truck in Langley, B.C., last May, with her lawyer adding she didn’t intend to hurt the animals, a fact that should be taken into consideration.

Amber Williams, who lost a pet to Paulsen, says she wants the dog walker to be sent to jail when she is sentenced Jan. 28.

“I’m hoping she does get some jail time,” says Williams. “And I hope she gets a fine for what she did.”

“It’s pretty intense, I would say. I’ve been waiting for this day for a while, to see what happens. I’m hoping she gets a good sentence.”

(CNKW, News 1130)