A 53-year-old North Bay woman has been found guilty of four counts of animal cruelty under the Ontario SPCA Act following an investigation relating to more than 600 rats found living in her apartment.
See: Woman charged with animal cruelty after hundreds of rats removed from apartment
On March 7, 2018, Mandy Statham was found guilty in a North Bay Provincial Offences Court of the following offences:
- Permit distress to an animal
- Fail to provide care that is necessary for their general welfare
- Fail to provide sanitary living conditions
- Fail to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention
She was sentenced to a 20-year prohibition on owning or caring for animals and is subject to unannounced inspections by Ontario SPCA officers. She was also ordered by the Justice of the Peace to pay $500 in restitution to the North Bay and District Humane Society.
On December 16, 2016, an Ontario SPCA officer with the North Bay and District Humane Society went to an apartment in North Bay after a complaint regarding a large number of loose rats at the apartment.
"A total of 606 rats were found to be living in unsanitary conditions and were voluntarily surrendered into the care of the North Bay and District Humane Society. The rats had been living in the owner’s belongings, including inside the kitchen stove, closets and mattresses. Rat urine, fecal matter and debris were scattered throughout the unit, creating an overpowering smell of ammonia." said Melissa Kosowan of the Ontario SPCA.
Once assessed to ensure they were healthy and suitable for adoption, the rats were transferred to Ontario SPCA Animal Centres and Humane Societies across the province where they were placed up for adoption.
“This was a rather unusual situation, but there are situations where people acquire more animals than they can care for, or they don’t take steps to ensure that their animals do not breed,” says Lynn Michaud, Senior Inspector, Ontario SPCA. “If you find yourself in a position where you cannot care for your animals, please contact an Ontario SPCA Animal Centre or your local Humane Society to discuss your options.”