Eight-year sentence for rabbit killings marks Alberta record

Nicholas Weseen was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday after being found guilty on 10 counts of killing or injuring rabbits by causing unnecessary pain, injury or suffering, and failing to provide adequate care. The sentence is an Alberta record for animal cruelty.

A trial last year detailed disturbing circumstances: one rabbit named Smokey had its rear right foot amputated with pliers and was left zip-tied in a milk crate to suffer for days. The offences took place between late October 2022 and January 2023.

Court of King's Bench Justice Mikael Burke called the 32-year-old's actions "vile and inconceivable."

Brad Nicols, director of enforcement at the Calgary Humane Society, said the verdict signals a fundamental shift in how courts view animal cruelty. "The eight-year custodial sentence alone is a record," Nicols said. "Paired with a lifetime prohibition from owning animals, this sends a signal to society that this is not going to be tolerated."

Nicols emphasized that the case shows courts are beginning to recognize animals as sentient beings deserving of legal protection. He noted that animal abuse can escalate to other violent crimes, and that community vigilance matters — Weseen's girlfriend at the time reported the abuse.

"Animal protection is a community responsibility," Nicols said. "We can't intervene on what we don't know about."