Cruelty to animals: 23 months in prison for the former procurement for mid-loup expedition

The former mid-loup shipping owner is sentenced to 23 months in prison, the most severe sentence ever pronounced in Quebec for cruelty to animals.

Antoine Simard, who operated this sled dog company on the island of Orleans, has committed gestures crueltyinsisted judge Hubert Couture.

Puppies thrown into the freezer, dogs hanged, gassed and badly nourished: Simard’s behavior went beyond understandingsaid the magistrate deplored.

Open in full screen

Judge Hubert Couture considers, however, that Simard committed his crimes by discouragement Since it was overwhelmed by the number of births.

More severe sentences pronounced in other Canadian provinces for cruelty to animals concerned people with serious problems of anti -social behavior, noted the judge.

The reasons that led Simard to commit reproach gestures are not a mental disorder but discouragement.

The director of criminal and criminal proceedings (DPCP) had claimed 5 years in prison, the maximum sentence provided for in the criminal code, for the killing of around 1000 Husky dogs.

The Couture judge, however, considered that the just sentence should count on the rehabilitation of this 44 -year -old man, father of three children.

Antoine Simard changed the vocation of his site. The chenil is on land which is now used for agriculture and the inn welcomes tourists not to make walks in sled dogs but in snowmobile.

He had asked to serve his sentence in the community, which the judge rejected because of the gravity of his gestures.

His ex-employee, Édouard Parent, was sentenced to 18 months of detention in the community for his involvement following an agreement concluded between the pursuit and the defense.

Open in full screen

Chenil and inn seized?

In the case of his ex-boss, in addition to his freedom, he could lose more. The government wants to seize the kennel and the tourist inn where the crimes have been committed as an infraction.

The property had been put up for sale in 2022 at a price of $ 1.9 million before being withdrawn from the market. The Attorney General of Quebec then obtained a blocking order to prevent Simard from modifying the goods targeted or selling them.

The debate on the seizure of the chenil will take place during a hearing whose date remains to be determined.

At the end of his detention, Antoine Simard will have to respect a three -year probation period. If his surveillance agent believes him necessary, he will have to undergo preventive training relating to animal welfare.

The judge also prohibits him, for 10 years, to be the owner of an animal.

The prosecutor of DPCPM^e Fabien Villemaire, refused to comment on the decision at the exit of the courtroom, just like the Simard lawyer, M^e Stéphanie Pelletier-Quirion.

Historical pain

M^e Sophie Gaillard, who is director of animal defense as well as legal and government affairs at the SPCA From Montreal, said it was satisfied.

This is the most severe penalty for cruelty [envers les animaux] of the history of our province.

The lawyer argued that the sentences have been increasing in other Canadian provinces for ten years, which was not the case in Quebec.

Today, I believe that this is a case that marks a turning point in case of jurisprudence for cruelty [envers les animaux] in Quebecwas delighted M^e Gaillard, who believes that this is a strong signal according to which These are serious crimes.

Open in full screen

Even if the processing of the mid-loup shipping judicial file ends, We always have a big problem in the sled dog industry in Quebecshe notes.

The setbacks of the Chenil of the island of Orleans made it possible to highlight Systemic problems in an industry little supervised by the Quebec government.

The SPCA launched a petition in November to ask the MAPAQ to better supervise this sector of activity and to adapt it to animal welfare.

This petition, which has so far collected 25,000 signatures, denounces the fact that dogs are chained to stakes all their lives.

The animal protection organization also urges the government to impose on the industry regulation of births so as not to be found with another half-wolf expedition in a few yearsinsists m^e Gaillard.