Lifetime ban in animal cruelty case

Lifetime ban in animal cruelty case
OSPCA

CORNWALL, Ontario – A 62-year-old man and 47-year-old woman from the Cornwall area have received a lifetime prohibition on owning animals after being convicted of animal cruelty under the Ontario SPCA Act.

On March 1, 2017, an Ontario SPCA officer responded to a concern about the welfare of animals at a residence in St. Andrews West, located approximately 15 kilometres north of Cornwall. They discovered six terrier-type dogs ranging from three to 14 years of age that were badly matted, severely infested with fleas and suffering from hair loss. The dogs had dirty, infected ears, and the officer noted a foul smell on their breath and a yellowish discharge coming from the mouth of some of the dogs.

Orders were issued under the Ontario SPCA Act to have the dogs seen by a veterinarian and to follow treatment recommendations. The veterinary examination revealed that four of the six dogs were suffering from severe dental disease, as well as skin infections due to a significant flea infestation. As a result of their deteriorating health, four of the dogs were humanely euthanized by a veterinarian. The two remaining dogs were treated for fleas and skin infections. 

Raymond Levac and Juliette Fortin, both from St. Andrews West, pled guilty to animal cruelty in a Cornwall Provincial Offences court on May 23, 2017. They were each convicted of permitting an animal to be in distress and failing to comply with prescribed standards of care.

Levac and Fortin were sentenced to two years probation and a lifetime prohibition on owning animals, with the exception of two dogs and a cat currently in their care. Those animals must be brought to a veterinarian every six months for an examination and any treatment recommend by the veterinarian must be followed. Levac and Fortin must also submit to unannounced inspections by the Ontario SPCA during their probation period to verify compliance with the court order.

“There is no excuse when it comes to failing to care for your animals,” says Bonnie Bishop, Senior Inspector, Ontario SPCA. “If you are having difficulty providing care for your animals, contact the Ontario SPCA to discuss your options.”

To report animal cruelty, call 310-SPCA (7722) immediately.

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