Dozens of dogs seized from B.C. farm

A sled dog owner near Williams Lake has gone to court in an effort to reclaim 50 dogs seized by the SPCA last month.

Animal control officers and the RCMP accused farmer Chris Camping, 61, of neglect. They say many of the dogs were emaciated, dehydrated, and covered with lice and parasites.

Camping, who still has 35 other Alaskan husky dogs, feeds them in the same way a farmer might feed chickens — scattering their food on the ground.

SPCA investigators say it's survival of the fittest, as the larger dogs took most of the food, leaving the smaller, younger dogs to starve.

Camping argues the animal protection agency just doesn't understand his dog-rearing methods. He says he was just keeping his dogs fast and lean for sled racing.

Fifty-one dogs were seized this time. One was euthanized, and the other 50 are being cared for. Two years ago, the SPCA seized another 60 dogs from Camping. Those dogs were never returned.

Camping has filed an application for a court injunction to prevent the SPCA from putting the dogs up for adoption. In his petition, Camping says the SPCA's seizure was illegal. But the SPCA refutes that claim, saying procedures were properly followed.

Meanwhile, Camping will be in court next week, facing charges of "causing unnecessary suffering to an animal."

He also says he's leaving his remaining dogs off their leashes so they can run wild and escape if the SPCA inspectors return to his farm.