Ontario Court Convicts Individual of Animal Welfare Offence

An individual has been convicted of an offence under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 (PAWS Act).

On August 20, 2026, in the Ontario Court of Justice in St. Thomas, Judith Monteith was found guilty of permitting an animal to be in distress contrary to section 15(2).

Monteith was fined $25,000 and ordered to retain a licensed veterinarian to conduct regular inspections of animals on the property for two years.

Cruelty to any animal is not tolerated in Ontario. If you think any animal is in distress or being abused, call 1-833-9-ANIMAL (264625).

• The PAWS Act came into effect January 1, 2020, making Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement a full provincial animal welfare enforcement system to enhance animal safety.
• As of August 2026, Ontario’s Animal Welfare Services issued more than 19,700 distress orders, laid over 2,600 charges for offences under the PAWS Act and removed over 20,300 animals from situations of distress negatively impacting their welfare.