There was a story in the Chronicle Herald today because Gail Benoit - Nova Scotia's most notorious purveyor of sick and dying puppies and dogs - lawyer said he wants all the current charges against Gail and her common law husband Dana Bailey dropped because the SPCA were abusing their power by charging his clients with animal cruelty.
Kelly very kindly already posted the article in a comment on a previous post to this blog at this link here - so I don't have to post the article again - but suffice it so say, I hope no judge takes his proposition for anything but the bullshit that it is - although it IS an interesting idea.
The idea is that the SPCA is trying to punish the Benoit's because the SPCA wants to control WHO is selling dogs and puppies in Nova Scotia - NOT that the Benoit's are selling sick and diseased puppies and dogs.
I would submit that IF the Benoit's were selling lovely, genetically sound healthy, parasite free, home raised mixed breed - or purebred puppies out of their home - the NS SPCA WOULDN'T have any problems with that - because there ARE a lot of people out there doing that - and the NS SPCA isn't attempting to seize their puppies and dogs. However - since at least 2001, from the research that I've personally done - Gail Benoit and Dana Bailey have been in the news and under prosecution for selling diseased and dying puppies and dogs.
It is only because the public doesn't have the tools and doesn't understand that they are buying their companion animals in a good way - that the Benoit's are allowed to continue peddling their damaged (and still barely alive) goods.
In 2001 - Gail Benoit and Dana Bailey were charged with animal cruelty for having emaciated and parasite infested dogs and puppies in their care left outside in the elements in the winter time - and were subsequently convicted of those charges in 2002 - they were banned from owning any animals for 5 years and fined several thousand dollars.
In 2003 however, because of negligent actions of the SPCA - the charges were thrown out by the court and the conviction was overturned and Gail Benoit got off scott free for torturing all the animals that she had up until that point - and she didn't have to pay one red cent.
In October 2003 there was an article in the Chronicle Herald entitled "Pet buyers beware: know your sellers; Dogs bought in recent weeks sick, flea-ridden, women say" - you can go to the Chronicle Herald Online and buy archived articles for $4 and read the article - it talks about a couple people who bought dogs from Gail Benoit that is eerily similar to many other newspaper articles that have come up over the years whenever Gail Benoit has been in the news - except this article is from OVER FOUR YEARS AGO. It seems that the public never learns.
The reason I am writing this all out is to give an online presence to this information - so that when someone types the name "Gail Benoit" into an internet search engine - hopefully this blog post will come up - and this information will be available to them - so that they can see some truth. And hopefully Gail Benoit's career will be shortened a little bit and a few puppies lives will be saved - they will go to someone else's home other than hers. We can only hope.
Other posts on this blog that relate to Gail Benoit:
Province's Most Notorious Puppy Miller/Stealer is Arrested
Gail Benoit - Puppy Miller - in court today
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI'm from Newfoundland and you should be aware of the fact that this Gail Benoit is now trying to sell dogs through the Kijiji site under a different province. I was unaware of her past and seriously considered purchasing a husky pup from her. Is it possiblethat there is more than one Gail Benoit selling dogs in Roxville, NS. Thanks for your blog.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI purchased a Yorkie puppy 2 weeks ago from Gail Benoit. The puppy was flea infested and underweight. Her brother arived at the same time and he was in the same condition. I was very upset by the condition of both puppies.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI bought A Yorkie from her and had to have him put to sleep because the vet could no longer control his seizures. Gail was selling her dogs through the Maritme Merchant. She stopped advertising for a short time and then started up again using a different number. I called the new number but my number was blocked as it was on her old number. I wonder why?
UPDATE on Gail Benoit... e-mail is incorrect in news story should be yahoo.com *not* hotmail.com:
ReplyDeletePuppy seller investigated in deaths
By CATHY von KINTZEL Truro Bureau
Fri. Jul 25 - 6:01 PM
Cinni Girl died 10 hours after Esther Smith of Earltown, Colchester County bought her from a woman in a parking lot. The Nova Scotia SPCA is investigating a Digby woman who allegedly sold seven sick puppies. (CONTRIBUTED)
A Digby woman already facing animal cruelty charges is now being investigated by the SPCA for selling dying puppies.
Roger Joyce, chief provincial inspector with the SPCA in Nova Scotia, said Friday his agency, along with the RCMP and the SPCA in New Brunswick are investigating the sale of seven unhealthy puppies within the past two weeks.
He said four of the six dead puppies are being autopsied in Truro and a seventh is “hanging on” in a veterinary clinic in Prince Edward Island.
Four of the owners say they bought the puppies from a woman they now know as Gail Benoit, and who is already facing animal cruelty charges laid by the SPCA in Digby provincial court last year.
Ms. Benoit said Friday she was “roped in” by a puppy seller in New Brunswick where she purchased the dogs, and that she “had no indication” they were sick when she sold them.
“He had tons of dogs,” she said when reached briefly by cell phone Friday. “He had a good deal on the computer. I’ve got nothing else to say.”
Esther Smith of Earltown, Colchester County, said her husband and friend wanted to surprise her with a miniature dachshund which died 10 hours after she picked it up in a Windsor parking lot Wednesday morning.
“At first I was so sad. But now, I’m so angry,” Ms. Smith said Friday.
She said Ms. Benoit, driving in a van with the words Puppies R Us, handed her the dog wrapped in a curtain, saying she needed to be kept warm because she’d just had a bath. She paid $500 and the woman left.
“I was devastated when I opened the curtain. There was nothing to her. She was thin and too docile for a puppy.”
The animal lover cuddled the puppy she named Cinni Girl and fell in love during the three-hour drive home. Once home, the puppy wouldn’t eat and drank only a little water.
Ms. Smith called a veterinarian and made an appointment for Thursday, but the puppy died Wednesday evening.
Three other owners reached Friday described similar situations of making contact with Ms. Benoit online and arranging to meet in public parking lots to purchase Yorkshire terriers and Pomeranians for between $500 and $650. All described the puppies they received as being tiny, frail and lethargic. Most received paperwork, including veterinary reports stating the dogs had been examined.
Della Despres of Shediac, N.B., purchased her Yorkshire terrier for $550 last Saturday at 5:30 p.m. It died two days later.
Her husband, who picked the puppy up in a parking lot in Elmsdale, noticed it was lethargic but thought it was just car sick. It vomited a few times during the drive home. It wouldn’t eat and had diarrhea throughout the night.
“When I got up in the morning, she was going downhill, so I took her to the veterinarian and they put her on IV fluids.” That was Sunday and the dog died the next evening.
“It was so sad to see,” Ms. Despres said.
Sandy Reed of Lantz, Hants County, got her Pomeranian puppy in an Elmsdale parking lot for $650 last Monday.
Ms. Reed asked about the puppy’s condition, in particular that its head seemed to be flopping around. She said Ms. Benoit told her the dog was car sick and that she had to give it something for motion sickness.
“When we got home, it wouldn’t use the bathroom, it wouldn’t eat.” The dog died the next day.
“I’m really upset, I’m still upset,” said Ms. Reed who has shed more than a few tears this week. “I’m hurt.”
Another owner from Halifax, who did not want to be named, bought a Pomeranian for $500 at 3 p.m. July 18 in an Elmsdale parking lot. It was dead by 10 a.m. the next morning.
She had planned to take the dog to the veterinarian, and was holding it on her chest when it started convulsing, foaming at the mouth and shaking all over.
“Oh, the dear little thing.”
Mr. Joyce said the SPCA can’t comment much on the status of the investigation, but said the complaints are being taken very seriously.
Owners of the other two puppies live in Halifax and Yarmouth.
Ms. Benoit and her common-law spouse Dana Bailey are facing animal cruelty charges related to the SPCA seizing 10 pups over two days from their Roxville home last fall. That case is still before the courts.
Ms. Smith wants to hear from other people who have purchased sick and dying puppies. She can be reached by e-mail at loving_poohbear52@hotmail.com.
(cvonkintzel@herald.ca)
Your plan worked. I typed in gail benoit in google and got this! Thank you. Someone must stop her. How is it possible that she still is breeding dogs?? Is she not banned from breeding? If so, if caught, shouldnt something be done. If the police and SPCA soon does not do something about this lady, the public may take action in their own hands. I know I'm willing.....I know where she lives....!!!!!! i'll rescue those dogs my self!!!!!!!!!!!!
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