LONDON, Ont. — A southwestern Ontario couple has pleaded guilty to four counts of animal cruelty after they locked their Chihuahua mix puppy in a bathroom when they left for a two-week vacation.
An apartment building landlord in London, Ont., started to receive complaints of a neglected dog near the beginning of the year and contacted the humane society.
The humane society got a search warrant and went into the apartment on Jan. 6 and found the 12-week-old puppy in the bathroom.
London Humane Society executive director Judy Foster says the dog was left in the bathroom to fend for itself and investigators found piles of fecal material and pools of urine.
Gabrielle Penney, 20, and Kyle O'Neill, 26, pleaded guilty to causing or permitting distress, failing to provide necessary care and failing to provide appropriate sanitary conditions.
They received six months probation and face a 10-year ban on caring for or owning any animals.
Foster says the dog — renamed Peanut — has been adopted by new owners.
"The dog is doing wonderfully well in its new home ... and it's having a wonderful life so we're thrilled about that."
