Canada: Twice convicted of animal cruelty, Sandra Tomalin, 73, is charged a third time

CANADA --  A woman from Spring Valley, P.E.I., who was banned from owning animals in two other provinces, has been charged with animal cruelty in P.E.I.

Sandra Helen Tomalin, 74, is charged with willfully allowing unnecessary pain and suffering by failing to provide suitable care to a cat.

The cat was seized from Tomalin's property, along with a number of other cats and dogs, earlier this year.

38 horses seized in New Brunswick

Tomalin, along with her sister, Beverley Tomalin, are under a 10-year ban in New Brunswick from owning any animals after being convicted in Sept. 2011 under provincial legislation and fined $1,800.

They were found guilty of mistreating horses after authorities seized 38 horses from their property in July 2010. Three of the horses had to be euthanized.

The judge found the Tomalins had failed to provide adequate food, shelter and veterinary care.

100 dogs seized in Ontario

Prior to that, in 2009, in Ontario, the two sisters were charged after about 100 dogs were seized from their home in Meaford, Ont.

 

They were handed a lifetime ban in Ontario from owning or caring for any dogs after pleading guilty to failing to provide adequate care for the dogs in Apr. 2010.

Those two bans were covered by provincial legislation which are only enforceable within the province where the bans are imposed.

Latest charges under Criminal Code

In this latest case, a complaint about animals on Sandra Tomalin's property started an investigation by the P.E.I. Humane Society in June 2015. That investigation was turned over to the RCMP in May 2016.

This time she has been charged under the Criminal Code of Canada. If she's found guilty and if a ban is imposed, it will be enforceable across the country.

Tomalin's case is scheduled to be heard in a Summerside courtroom Dec. 15.

She has not yet had an opportunity to hear the allegations against her or respond to them.

CBC was unable to reach Tomalin for a comment on this story.

(CBC.ca - Dec 12, 2016)