Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

05/05/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/05/2026 12:02

Ontario Court Convicts Individuals of Animal Welfare Offences

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Two individuals have been convicted of offences under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 (PAWS Act).

On February 13, 2026, in the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor, Erin Bray and Timothy Hunter were found guilty of:

  • Permitting an animal to be in distress contrary to section 15(2)
  • Failing to comply with prescribed standards of care by failing to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention contrary to section 13(1)

Bray and Hunter were each fined $1,500 and are prohibited from owning, having custody or care of, fostering, or residing with any domestic animal for two years. The court also ordered restitution for costs incurred to provide care for the affected animal.

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).

Quick Facts

  • 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 March 2026, Ontario's Animal Welfare Services issued more than 18,300 distress orders, laid over 2,400 charges for offences under the PAWS Act and removed over 15,300 animals from situations of distress negatively impacting their welfare.

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Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care published this content on May 05, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 05, 2026 at 18:02 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]