The professional dog walker caught on video slamming one of his client’s dogs to the ground and punching it repeatedly is no longer allowed to walk clients’ dogs on District of North Vancouver’s trails.
District staff announced Thursday they were suspending the business licence of Glen Affenzeller (who also goes by the surname Zeller), owner of Vancouver-based Dogtalk Ventures Ltd. “in light of the seriousness of the findings of the BC Farm Industry Review Board.”
The review board released a ruling on Oct. 11 denying Affenzeller’s appeal to have his dogs returned to them after a BC SPCA investigation found them in a state of distress. The SPCA began their investigation when someone videoed Affenzeller abusing a dog in his care, according to the review board’s ruling.
District staff also suspended his park use permit, which is required of professional dog walkers for district trail use.
As of Friday afternoon, a petition demanding his licence suspension had hit almost 700 signatures.
Affenzeller will have the chance to appeal the suspension before district council if he submits a formal request to the district’s clerk.
Affenzeller has not yet returned a request for comment.
