‘The dogs were heavily covered in urine’: Halifax woman sentenced for animal cruelty

A 72-year-old woman was sentenced for animal cruelty on Wednesday after she pled guilty to owning and willfully permitting unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to dogs, according to Nova Scotia SPCA.

The Nova Scotia SPCA said in a statement that Gloria Adele Martell pled guilty to “having custody of domestic dogs, abandoning them in distress and willfully neglecting, failing to provide suitable and adequate food, water, shelter and care.”

The judge sentenced Martell to 10 months in jail, and 35 months of probation with mental health counselling.

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Martell was also ordered to pay $1,815 restitution to the SPCA and given a lifetime prohibition order on owning animals.

On Nov. 21, 2016, the organization said it responded to an after-hours emergency of several dogs in a parked minivan. One dog was tied to the front seat while others were trapped in tiny carriers unable to sit or stand.

Nova Scotia SPCA said there was an overpowering smell of ammonia and garbage.

“Martell arrived in another vehicle, refused to stop, and sped away. Martell later returned to the scene where she was arrested,” said the organization in a press release.

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Eight dogs, along with one deceased dog, were taken into custody and transported to the Nova Scotia SPCA for immediate care.

“The dogs were heavily covered in urine and feces,” said Jo-Anne Landsburg, chief provincial inspector at the Nova Scotia SPCA. “Some were emaciated and full of parasites. One was suffering from an untreated broken leg which had to be amputated.”

According to the SPCA, all eight dogs were successfully rehabilitated and rehomed.

A necropsy was also performed on the deceased dog confirming it died of severe emaciation, gastric hemorrhage, endo-parasitism, and pressure sores.