A 31-year-old North Bay woman has been found guilty of animal cruelty following an investigation into her mistreatment of a dog back in March of 2017.
On October 4, 2017, Amanda Deschenes was found guilty in a North Bay Provincial Offences Court of three counts of animal cruelty under the Ontario SPCA Act including:
- Permitting distress to an animal
- Failing to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention
- Failing to provide care necessary for general welfare
Deschenes was sentenced to a 10-year prohibition from owning an animal and is subject to inspections by Ontario SPCA officers. She also received a $1,000 fine and was ordered to pay $746.70 in restitution.
An Ontario SPCA officer with the North Bay and District Humane Society attended a residence in North Bay on March 10th, after receiving a concern about a dog in distress.
An approximately eight-year-old female Hound-Collie type dog with missing fur, inflamed and red skin, and suffering from ear infections, was located by the officer.
An overpowering smell of yeast was also noted coming from the animal.
The owner admitted that the dog had been in this condition for approximately a year. A veterinary examination revealed the dog was suffering from a chronic yeast and bacterial skin infection, chronic ear infections with severe inflammation in both ear canals, fractured incisors, and hypothyroidism.
The dog has since recovered and has been adopted into a loving home.
“A lack of finances is not an excuse to allow an animal to suffer," said Lynn Michaud, Senior Inspector, Ontario SPCA in a release.
There will be consequences under the law if you fail to provide appropriate care for your animals or if you fail to take steps to alleviate an animal’s suffering."
To report animal cruelty, call 310-SPCA (7722) to reach the Ontario SPCA’s province-wide cruelty hotline.
