Ontario Court Convicts Individual of Animal Welfare Offences

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

On August 20, 2026, in the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor, Jeremy Beaudoin was found guilty of:

• Two counts of permitting an animal to be in distress contrary to section 15(2)
• Four counts of failure to comply with standards of care contrary to section 13(1)
• Failing to comply with an order contrary to section 30(4)
• Changing the custody of an animal that was subject to an order and failing to collect prescribed contact information regarding the new custodian contrary to section 30(7)

Beaudoin was fined $8,000 and is prohibited from owning, having custody of, having care of, or living with any animal for five 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 September 2026, Ontario’s Animal Welfare Services issued more than 19,900 distress orders, laid over 2,800 charges for offences under the PAWS Act and removed over 20,700 animals from situations of distress negatively impacting their welfare.