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A North Okanagan kennel owner has been charged with animal cruelty.

Coldstream resident Monika McIntosh was charged last month for animal cruelty that took place between August and September 2021.

In the summer of 2021, McIntosh had 19 dogs seized from her property by the B.C. SPCA which said the animals were living in "horrible and deplorable" conditions.

READ MORE: North Okanagan kennel owner loses fight to have seized dogs returned

The 74-year-old had her first court appearance March 23, in Vernon, although failed to show up and there is now a warrant out for her arrest.

Court documents say she caused dogs, pigs, and poultry to be in distress.

It's assumed the criminal charge is related to the seizure of the dogs in 2021.

On the day the animals were seized, one dog died, while another died two weeks later.

Since 2011 McIntosh had run All My Children Pet Boarding Kennels and also bred Chihuahuas. She had said her business went under because of COVID and pandemic travel restrictions.

After the seizure, McIntosh appealed to have the dogs back but was denied.

Details in the appeal decision said that all of the dogs seized had severe dental disease.

"There was inflammation and infection of the tissue and their gums and bones were being eaten away by infection," the 2021 B.C. Farm Industry Review Board decision reads.

Four of the dogs also had a condition where their kneecaps were on the inside of their legs, which couldn't be reversed.

READ MORE: Dog that regularly ingested fentanyl and meth seized by B.C. SPCA

The B.C. SPCA received several complaints about McIntosh, one of them from a former employee.

Urine and feces were found throughout the house along with a lot of garbage.

"The conditions are simply dismal and perhaps at one time you were able to manage the kennels, your home and the animals in your care but currently it is simply unsafe," the Review Board said.

The B.C. SPCA found the dogs suffered a general lack of care, which included access to clean drinking water, suitable food, or adequate shelter.

After McIntosh failed to get her dogs back she was ordered to pay the B.C. SPCA $17,951 to cover costs. The B.C. SPCA said the fine still remains unpaid.

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