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Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair confirmed Whistler Pemberton RCMP were notified of the SPCA investigation Monday and have assigned an investigator to aid the SPCA.

A statement from Outdoor Adventures states: “OAW was aware of the relocation and euthanization of dogs at Howling Dogs in April 2010, but it was our expectation that is was done in a proper, legal and humane manner.” The release goes on to say the company only heard about the unidentified man’s compensation last week.

“Shocking doesn’t begin to describe what happened to these poor dogs,” said an emotional Marcie Moriarty, BC SPCA’s manager of animal-cruelty investigations.

“Up to 100 dogs — I don’t want to use the term euthanize because they were executed. (The man) describes it as execution-style killings.”

There are provisions in the SPCA act that allow for Criminal Code charges and Moriarty said this case warrants them: “Dogs crawling around in a mass grave; half of one’s face blown off — if those actions don’t constitute Criminal Code offence, I don’t know what does.”

Ms. Moriarty has said it’s often difficult to prosecute Criminal Code cases on animal cruelty charges. However, “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a case where a person admits shooting off the face of a dog,” she said.

Ms. Moriarty said the man says he was more or less ordered to kill the dogs, but that’s no excuse and he’s culpable.

Whistler lawyer Corey Steinberg — representing the man who filed the WCB claim — has scheduled a news conference Monday in Whistler.