Months after the BC SPCA rescued a malnourished boxer with a deflated football in his stomach, the dog's former owners have been charged with animal cruelty.

The SPCA said the three-year-old dog, originally called Tank but renamed Cedric, was severely emaciated and covered with sores when he came into the animal welfare agency's care back in January.

Cedric had to undergo surgery to have the football removed, and required around-the-clock care afterward. The SPCA said the dog shivered constantly because of his lack of body fat, and was initially only able to eat a tablespoon of food at a time because of the condition of his stomach.

"He was just skin and bones, definitely the most emaciated dog I have ever seen in my 30 years of rescuing animals," Vancouver branch manager Jodi Dunlop said in a statement. It was a very slow process to increase his food intake and to ensure he was getting the nutrients he needed without overwhelming his compromised digestive system."

On Tuesday, the SPCA announced Amy Hui-Yu Lin and Glenn Mislang have both been charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Court records show they are both facing counts of causing an animal to continue to be in distress.

The SPCA said Cedric eventually made a full recovery and was adopted into a new home. In May, the dog was given the agency's Animal Courage Award for making it through his long recovery.