A 45-year-old North Bay woman has been found guilty of five counts of animal cruelty under the Ontario SPCA Act. An investigation found Joanne Langford-Champion had seven cats and a dog living in her home in unsanitary conditions, with no access to food. The charges include permitting animals to be in distress, failing to provide sanitary living conditions, failing to provide adequate and appropriate food and water, failing to provide adequate and appropriate ventilation and failing to comply with an Ontario SPCA order.
An SPCA officer discovered the animals to be living in unsanitary conditions with no access to food. Seven cats and one dog were surrendered to the society by Langford-Champion on this date. On September 27th, the remaining seven cats were removed from the apartment when the owner failed to comply with Ontario SPCA Act orders previously served. An upstairs bedroom was discovered to be completely soiled in urine and feces and the cats had no access to food and water. Langford-Champion was also ordered to pay $985 in restitution to the North Bay and District Humane Society.
