An Edmonton woman has been slapped with a $5,000 fine after admitting in court to her role in what the Edmonton Humane Society referred to as a puppy mill.
May Poon pleaded guilty to two counts of causing animal distress in court.
Poon is also prohibited from owning or being in the custody of animals, with the exception of a two animals who are spayed or neutered and must be owned by another individual in the same household.
Last April, officers seized more than 40 animals from a west-end home.
Poon was originally facing a total of eight charges under the Animal Protection Act, but the remaining charges with withdrawn because the Crown agreed the first two counts of causing animal distress were reasonable.
Poon's lawyer Michael Sparks says his client had a long history of responsible breeding, but had been under a lot of stress and let things slip.
"In the last few years the care of the animals has gotten out of her control," Sparks told the court.
A spokesperson for the Edmonton Humane Society said the dogs and cats were living in deplorable conditions, in tiny cages for breeding purposes. And in some cases animals were left without adequate food or water.
The Society said the homeowner did surrender the animals after the Society received a complaint from a citizen concerned about the well-being of some of the animals in the home.
The dogs were small breeds such as Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Toy Poodles and even the designer breed "Poo-pom". Many of the cats were Siamese, including three newborn kittens.
The owner admitted to selling the offspring on a popular buy/sell Internet site.
With files from Bill Fortier
