Ex-breeder fined $5K for cruelty to 89 cats
A former cat breeder was fined $5,000 for animal cruelty after 89 cats were removed from her home 14 months ago, many of them in medical distress.
On April 17, 2016, Calgary Humane Society peace officers inspected the West Hillhurst home and removed all of the Maine coon cats from the residence after determining the severity of the medical and environmental concerns.
On Friday, Ruth Sogz pleaded guilty to charges under the Animal Protection Act, receiving a $5,000 fine and a lifetime prohibition from owning all but two cats, which have been spayed or neutered so they can no longer breed.
Humane society officials say the fine is one of the toughest penalties under the act handed out to offenders and also applauded the ownership prohibition.
“It is encouraging to see the court apply a lifetime prohibition in this case, given the level and volume of suffering in the home,” said Brad Nichols, senior manager of animal cruelty investigations with the society.
“Not long ago, such a ban was unheard of.”
Even so, he noted the fine is only a quarter of the maximum $20,000 penalty that’s only been meted out once, to Riverfront Aquariums last year for similar offences.
Nichols said many of the cats had severe respiratory conditions because of the amount of urine and feces that had built up in the home. Though about 60 of the animals had to be euthanized, the remaining ones were put up for adoption.
“Normally, only about five to 10 per cent of cats in these situations are adopted out,” he said.
Nichols said he’s not opposed to Sogz being allowed to keep the two cats. “Those types of offenders tend to reoffend less when they have spayed or neutered animals,” he said.
Sogz is required to accept regular welfare checks by society peace officers and to submit annual health reports for the two cats she is allowed to keep.
The woman was well-known in the breeding and animal show circles, said Nichols, adding “this certainly doesn’t reconcile with what an ethical breeder would be.”