Gail Benoit in Dartmouth court on Animal Protection Act charges
Benoit accused of selling cats without veterinary certificate and refusing to give information to officer
A convicted animal abuser now facing four new charges under Nova Scotia's Animal Protection Act made a brief appearance in provincial court in Dartmouth Tuesday morning.
Gail Benoit is accused of selling cats without a veterinary health certificate and refusing to give information to an inspector or peace officer.
She had originally been facing two charges after SPCA investigators went to her home last month. The SPCA was acting on anonymous complaints that Benoit had been selling cats without proper health certificates.
She will return to court June 29.
In January 2009, Benoit was convicted of animal cruelty for selling sick and malnourished puppies. At first, she was barred from selling dogs, but that ban was later extended to buying, selling or giving away any animal. That ban has since ended.
Five years later, in June 2014, Benoit was sentenced to 15 months of probation for stealing and selling two dogs from a woman in New Brunswick. She was barred from buying or selling domestic or wild animals. That court order has expired as well.
Last month, a Kijiji user warned that Benoit was once again selling animals over the internet. Kijiji had banned Benoit from its site and said it was taking down ads she posted using other people's accounts.