A Nova Scotia father and son have pleaded guilty to several counts under the Animal Protection Act more than a year after 24 dogs were seized from their property.
Warren and Makell Cain were charged with animal cruelty in October of 2015, after 24 pit bulls were taken from their North Preston residence.
READ MORE: Dogs seized from North Preston home one step closer to finding furever homes
Initially, both men pleaded not guilty, but changed their pleas in court this week.
Warren Cain pleaded guilty to confining an animal to unsanitary conditions, causing an animal to be in distress and interfering in the exercise of the powers given to the person in the Animal Protection Act, in this case, an SPCA officer.
He was sentenced to a lifetime prohibition on owning animals, and ordered to pay $11,399.65 restitution to the SPCA and $1,500 in court fines.
Makell Cain pleaded guilty to causing an animal to be in distress and interfering or obstructing a person in the exercise of the powers given to the person in the Animal Protection Act.
He was sentenced to a prohibition on owning animals for 15 years and was ordered to pay $1,000 in court fines.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia man who confined 19 cats in unsanitary conditions gets jail time
“I am pleased that the courts in Nova Scotia are taking animal cruelty charges more seriously and we are beginning to see an increase in the severity of sentencing given to those who are convicted,” said Jo-Anne Landsburg, chief provincial inspector for the Nova Scotia SPCA in a release.
Both men were also charged by RCMP for assaulting an SPCA Cruelty Officer and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon. They will go to trial on those charges at a later date.
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