Finally a jail sentence

[Melinda]

not enough in my opinion though

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/...960/story.html








OTTAWA — An Ottawa woman who let her dog starve to death has been sentenced to 10 months in jail, the first jail sentence under the newly strengthened Provincial Animal Welfare Act. The legislation, also known as the Ontario SPCA Act, was amended in 2009 to extend protection to individual domestic animals and law enforcement animals, not just dogs and cats bred for commercial purposes.

The case began last April when officers with the Ottawa Humane Society responded to a call from Ottawa Community Housing, about a dead dog in an apartment unit on Heatherington Ave. According to Miriam Smith, manager of OHS rescue and investigation services, officers found the decomposing body of a “black and white, pointer-type dog” inside the front door of Girard’s apartment. A necropsy showed the dog was emaciated, “with ribs, vertebrae and hip bones jutting out,” said Smith.

The necropsy showed the dog’s digestive tract except for “sections of a pair of jeans – so obviously it was eating anything it could in the unit. The unit was pretty disgusting and dirty,” Smith said.

When officers questioned the resident, Madeleine Girard, “she denied everything,” said Smith. “She denied it was her dog, she denied it being there, and she would not provide any information as to whose dog it was or whose responsibility it was.”

The OHS charged Girard with permitting distress to an animal and failing to provide adequate and suitable food and water, resulting in its death. When Girard did not appear for the trial in provincial court, she was tried in absentia. On Monday, Girard was sentenced to 10 months in jail and ordered to pay $500 restitution to the Ottawa Humane Society. She was also given a lifetime ban from owning or having custody or care of any animal, and ordered to allow unannounced inspections of her residence to ensure she is in compliance with the order.

The OHS and other humane societies in Ontario are legally mandated to enforce the animal cruelty provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada and the Ontario SPCA Act. According to the OHS, prosecutor Mathew Collins sought a sentence of six months in jail and $220 restitution but the judge believed the offence supported a more severe sentence.

“We’re happy the judge saw the severity of the case as we did,” says Smith. “This has huge meaning and huge impact on what we do. We’re glad to see the changes in the act and that they’re working.”

Before 2009, the Act’s protections applied only to animals being bred in puppy and kitten mills. The amendments made it an offence to permit or cause distress to any animal and required veterinarians to report suspected cruelty. It is also now an offence to train and fight dogs, or to harm a law enforcement animal.

Although a warrant has been issued for Girard’s arrest, a spokesperson for the Ottawa Police Service said Girard has not been located as it takes time for warrants to be assigned to individual officers.

“With this little bit of media, maybe someone knows where she is and might be able to send the police to have her arrested,” said Smith.

Smith also urged people who feel overwhelmed with caring for their pets to contact the Ottawa Humane Society before causing the animal any distress.

“We have the means to take in animals and find them new homes, so people should certainly contact us before any issues arise,” said Smith. “That’s the business we’re in.”


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