Sixteen puppies have been rescued following a fraud and animal cruelty investigation in Markham.
York Regional Police executed a search warrant Nov. 9 at a residence on Castleview Crescent, where the 16 puppies were found in four small cages "amid horrendous living conditions," according to police.
Markham Animal Care Services attended and all the puppies were rescued and received medical attention, police said.
Two Markham men have been arrested and are facing several charges.
Elisha Charles, 42, is charged with: wilfully permits unnecessary pain/suffering or injury to an animal; fraud under $5,000 (x2); forgery; use a forged document (x4); and disobeying a court order.
Isaiah Charles, 20, is charged with: wilfully permits unnecessary pain/suffering or injury to an animal; and forgery.
Police began the investigation last December after receiving information about a puppy that may have been sold with fraudulent vaccination records.
Through the investigation, officers learned that ads had been posted online selling puppies for $700 to $1,500 each. The buyers were provided with documentation of vaccinations that police said were fraudulent.
Officers also seized evidence related the fraud and forgery of vaccination records, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police #5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7541, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, leave an anonymous tip online.
