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(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

A Vernon woman who took in unwanted dogs, but then left them living in squalor without food or water, has managed to avoid getting a criminal record after pleading guilty to animal abuse.

Today, June 4, at the Vernon courthouse, Sarah Kelly Hoard sat in tears as the court heard the condition her five dogs were in when the BC SPCA rescued them.

In September 2023, Hoard was in her early 20s and in the throws of crack cocaine addiction when her then-boyfriend took her to West Kelowna leaving the five dogs on their own.

Someone complained to the BC SPCA and the society obtained a warrant.

"They entered the residence where they found five different dogs. The dogs were all living in squalor, with feces, garbage, a strong smell of ammonia, which is associated to urine, drug paraphernalia, a puppy in a crate with no water or food. In a different room, another dog… with no food and no water,” Judge David Patterson said. 

A Pomeranian was found with a life-threatening uterus infection but was treated and survived.

"The second dog was a pit bull cross male. He also was underweight. He was a puppy. He was dehydrated and covered in fecal matter. The third dog was a female pit bull cross. She had an ear infection, a very bad coat, low phosphorus, (an) indication of starvation and malnutrition,” the Judge said.

A border collie-pit bull cross had to be euthanized, having been found to be too aggressive to rehabilitate.

No reason was given why it took more than two years for Hoard to be charged with causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal and failing to provide necessities for an animal.

Early this year, the 25-year-old pleaded guilty to failing to provide necessities for an animal.

Crown prosecutor Alexandra Janse said this case was the first animal cruelty matter in which she’d asked for conditional discharge – meaning Hoard won’t get a criminal record provided she adheres to 12 months of probation.

Janse said the details were “very unusual” for an animal abuse case.

The court heard that Hoard was in a drug-induced psychosis at the time, and thought she’d asked her dad to take care of the animals.

She couldn’t remember how long she’d been away for, and couldn’t keep track of things. She came home to find the dogs were gone.

Much of the court appearance focused on Hoard’s “tragic” upbringing. She had a Grade 9 education, had spent time in foster care, and it was thought she had cognitive difficulties and functioned below average. At age 18 she was living in a shelter,

She’d taken the dogs in that no one wanted, but heavily addicted to crack cocaine was in no state to look after them.

However, in the years since the dogs were seized, she got clean and turned her life around. She was now a mom with a six-month-old baby and doing well.

“She is not the same person she once was,” her lawyer Ignatius Pielecki told the court saying she had gone to great lengths to get clean.

Hoard suffers from anxiety and depression, and at the time of the animal abuse had stopped taking her medication because didn’t like the side effects. She'd gone down a dark path.

The court heard she blamed herself and was incredibly remorseful.

In a joint submission to the court, lawyers requested 12 months probation, with no criminal record.

“I'm one judge who believes that these kinds of crimes do not and should not be given (conditional) discharges on a regular and ongoing basis,” Judge Patterson said. “These dogs cannot speak for themselves. These dogs could not take action for themselves. These dogs could not let themselves out of the house. They couldn't forage for food. They couldn't go to the veterinary and get themselves cured.”

The judge pointed out that many homeless people with drug addictions manage to care for their dogs very well. 

However, Judge Patterson accepted Hoard's remorse and effort in turning her life around.

Ultimately, she was sentenced to a conditional discharge and 12 months probation. Providing she doesn’t breach the probation she will not get a criminal record.

She was also banned from keeping animals for five years and fined $100.

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