A Clearwater resident has been sentenced to jail after failing to comply with the conditions of his conditional sentence order, which was put in place following his conviction for animal cruelty.

In May 2025, Kurtis Elliot was found guilty of severe neglect after the BC SPCA rescued 15 dogs and puppies from his property, where they were discovered living in extreme distress.

According to the BC SPCA, the animals were kept outdoors in subzero temperatures, suffering from frostbite and severe emaciation due to lack of food and water.

Three of the dogs were euthanized after veterinary intervention proved insufficient to relieve their suffering.

Elliot was initially sentenced to a conditional sentence order lasting one year, allowing him to serve his time in the community with strict restrictions, including a prohibition on animal ownership for 10 years.

However, he breached his house arrest in September 2025 and faced further violations in December 2025 and January 2026.

On January 27, 2026, the court terminated Elliot’s conditional sentence order, leading to his incarceration in a traditional custodial facility.

He is expected to remain incarcerated until early July 2026.