So here we have it - a conviction of sorts - the ladies have plead guilty on one count each. I'm sure that everyone should be very happy that they have admitted guilt.
I wonder what happened today to turn the tide and make them change their pleas from innocent to guilty - the last I heard the elder MacIsaac was going into court today to fight the search warrant that she was issued when they came and seized her animals last February.
So I wonder what happened today. They can't help out with any animals for 20 years - but they are allowed to own pets - but the NS SPCA can go in and inspect their property at any time.There has been some justice in this case. And it seems that - although the news story didn't say it - that they are not going to get any of their animals back - I'm assuming that since the news story didn't mention anything about the animals that were seized - that they aren't getting any back. Which is good - they can all stay in their adoptive homes. Except of course for one lady that I know who has dumped a few cats because she decided to move from a house to an apartment - and even though she professed to be a professional rescuer - she was just the same as a lot of poseurs... and shame on her.
Anyway - here's tonight's news piece -
From the Hawk 101.5 -
Guilty pleas in Celtic Pets case
Friday, December 05, 2008 , 13:30
Almost 9 months after charges were laid, two local women have pleaded guilty to causing an animal distress under the Provincial Animal Act.
43 year old Zonda MacIsaac and 64 year old Alice MacIsaac were in Port Hawkesbury Provincial court on Friday.
What was supposed to be a preliminary voir-dire quickly changed direction with the guilty pleas.
The charges stem from a raid at Zonda MacIsaac's Celtic Pets rescue shelter in West Bay Road in February.
More than 90 cats and dogs were seized.
25 more animals were seized from Alice MacIsaac's home about a week later.
The crown and defense presented their joint sentencing recommendation to the judge, which includes a $1000 fine for each woman.
A prohibition order was also recommended and although the order would see both Zonda and Alice MacIsaac banned from operating any type of animal rescue shelter for the next 20 years, Crown Prosecutor Dan MacRury notes that the two can keep their pets.
"I think there was a past history that these people treated animals very fairly, however, it's very clear that they can't look after a large number of animals and that's the facts that I had to make the decision on."
The judge will make a decision on the recommendation Friday afternoon.
20 years prohibition sounds like a great idea! Two less abusers we have to worry about!
ReplyDeleteI guess 20 years probation is better than nothing, but I wish they could have thrown the book harder at that fucking bitch Alice, who bullied and harassed others in the community while she abused her position as an officer of the SPCA. I think there may have been extenuating circumstances for Zonda, but Alice was out and out cruel and manipulative, not just with the naimlas but also the humans she came in contact with.
ReplyDeleteLets hope they are banned from ever having animals in their possession again!
ReplyDeleteI wish they had been held accountable for the cost to the SPCA for housing and caring for the seized animals.
ReplyDeleteDo I read it right that someone who adopted some of the seized cats then dumped them because they were moving??
sad, the justice system fails yet again. So what keeps them from "owning 20 animals" I feel sick.
ReplyDeletewas more than hoping for JAIL – personally it’s NOT enough … all you need in this province is $1000.00 dollars and you can abuse all the animals you want to! That they can ‘own’ their own animals is repugnant at best!
ReplyDeleteAs for the inspection of their homes – well really do you think they are going to stay in this province? I don’t think so.
I have a distinct feeling they will be heading WEST - and I think we have to ALERT every shelter and rescue about them … and ALL SPCA’S should be compiling a NATIONAL Do Not Adopt List –
They got off way too easy for my liking – IMHO
Janet
Too little, too late........totally disheartened and disgusted.
ReplyDeleteYES some animals will be returned.
ReplyDeleteAlice gets dogs Stewie and Missy, because the SPCA determined they couldn't be re-socialized (is that the word i'm looking for?) and recommended they be given to her.
I suppose "justice has been served" but one cannot help but wonder what the plea bargain was to end up with this result.
ReplyDeleteIt is too bad that the same principles of justice would not be applied to the case of Brindi and her owner. No judge in his or her right mind would allowe anything more than a minor penalty for that case. That is if a responsible, impartial and educated authority ever even had a chance to deal with the case.
Last commenter, I trust you mean good principles of justice should apply to Brindi, regardless of what kind of justice was applied to the Macisaacs.
ReplyDeleteBrindi doesn't deserve any "penalty" because she was just being a dog. She was victimized by an overzealous animal control officer with a dismal military record. These officers are afraid to pick up truly aggressive dogs - they are known to refuse when dispatch sends them to seize actual dangerous dogs - not like Brindi, who obeyed all their commands! This officer also saw to it that another non-vicious dog was killed last year and Brindi is his latest project. He lied, manipulated, and twisted the law in order to get a euthanization order - which he didn't even sign himself - contrary to law.
The system here is being abused by soulless people and the resulting cruelty will never be investigated by the NS SPCA because HRM is their biggest and only paying client.
Why don't we all try to save this dog right now, instead of looking backwards? She needs us. She would be dead now if she hadn't been adopted just in time - so what are we doing to help her?