Woman accused of killing dog surrenders

A Bolton woman charged for allegedly killing a dog surrendered on Friday morning, Toronto police say, and it’s not the first time she’s been accused of animal cruelty.

Rita Mueller, 50, is charged with killing an animal, causing unnecessary pain to an animal and disobeying a court order.

Mueller, who ran Scooby’s Dog House in Bolton, is awaiting sentencing on separate animal cruelty charges under the OSCPA Act.

In the more recent allegation, she allegedly brought a Shar-Pei, a large breed of dog, to Toronto Animal Services at 1300 Sheppard Ave. W. on Aug. 24, 2012.

Det.-Const. Tamara Lawrynowycz said the woman was supposed to be handing over the dog to a new owner and was given a leash and muzzle to get the pet ready.

But police allege she instead hung the dog with the leash while inside the animal shelter’s quarantine room.

Investigators say she had already fled the scene by the time shelter staff came in and found the pup without vital signs. An autopsy concluded the dog died of suffocation, Const. Tony Vella said.

Mueller appeared in court on Friday, where her bail hearing will held over until Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Mueller says she’s been receiving threatening phone calls since the latest allegations surfaced.

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) confirmed that the same woman had 19 dogs removed from her property in Caledon and was forced to surrender 10 more dogs in 2011.

She was convicted in September 2012 of multiple charges under the OSCPA Act and will be sentenced in February. She could be fined, prohibited from owning or living with an animal, or jailed.

With files from The Canadian Press

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