A Surrey woman charged with animal cruelty in connection with the February 2016 seizure of 82 distressed animals has been found guilty.
In Surrey Provincial Court Wednesday, received two years probation but 香蕉视频直播� despite a request from Crown 香蕉视频直播� no lifetime ban from owning, caring for or possessing animals.
Judge Daniel Weatherly did, however, ban Zhou from owning, caring for or possessing domestic animals for the next seven years.
In rendering the penalty, Weatherly said he had to consider that Zhou, 51, has no prior record.
香蕉视频直播淢ost importantly, she did not intentionally harm these animals, and today, she香蕉视频直播檚 expressed a willingness to learn how to take care of animals properly,香蕉视频直播� Weatherly said after delivering the guilty verdict that morning.
The decision concluded seven days of trial that began April 23.
BC SPCA had announced in 2016 that Zhou had been charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, following the seizure of 67 cats, 12 dogs and three puppies from a property in the 19400-block of Colebrook Road.
According to a 2016 news release, the cats seized were primarily Persians and short-haired exotics; the seized dogs included four French bulldogs, a Boston terrier, a Pomeranian with three puppies, a Chihuahua, a poodle, a Rottweiler, a Doberman, a Jack Russell terrier and a shiba inu.
Zhou was charged with a single count of causing an animal to be in distress. The charge encompassed all of the animals that were deemed to be in distress, prosecutor Kelly Johnston confirmed to Peace Arch News outside court Wednesday.
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Weatherly recounted witness evidence that detailed animals found in dark, inadequately ventilated and unsanitary conditions, with many suffering from conditions including ringworm and respiratory illness.
While the court heard during trial that Zhou had taken animals to the vet about 80 times for treatment or diagnosis of various conditions, Zhou香蕉视频直播檚 evidence was that 香蕉视频直播渧ery few香蕉视频直播� animals were sick, Weatherly said.
She also claimed that SPCA officials who had visited her property on previous occasions 香蕉视频直播渨anted her cats because they were expensive,香蕉视频直播� and that they had given her instructions on what she should do regarding their care 香蕉视频直播渁bout 10 times.香蕉视频直播�
Those instructions, she testified, were not translated into Mandarin and Zhou 香蕉视频直播渆stimated she understood 10 per cent of what they said.香蕉视频直播�
The judge said he 香蕉视频直播渄id not find Miss Zhou to be a credible witness.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎t times her evidence made no logical sense,香蕉视频直播� he said.
While defence counsel Chen Shen had submitted a defence of due diligence 香蕉视频直播� noting Zhou had taken steps to improve the animals香蕉视频直播� conditions and that it didn香蕉视频直播檛 require that perfect standards to be met 香蕉视频直播� Weatherly said the facts at bar 香蕉视频直播渁re far, far below香蕉视频直播� perfect standards.
Prior to sentencing, Zhou 香蕉视频直播� who had told court she knew 30-50 English words 香蕉视频直播� spoke to reporters without a translator. One person at the scene who speaks Mandarin said Zhou had told media she planned to appeal the decision.
At the sentencing hearing, Shen told Weatherly that a lifetime ban on animal ownership is 香蕉视频直播渘ot warranted.香蕉视频直播�
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Through an interpreter, Zhou 香蕉视频直播� asked by Weatherly prior to sentencing if she had anything she wanted to say 香蕉视频直播� told the court that her 香蕉视频直播渓ifelong goal is to be someone香蕉视频直播� who can take care of animals well.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚 wish your honour would give me a chance, let me learn how to let the animals live happier, healthier life,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 prepared to work hard at it for the rest of my life.香蕉视频直播�
Both Crown and defence had agreed a suspended sentence would be appropriate.
Weatherly also imposed conditions including that Zhou perform 100 hours of community service by year香蕉视频直播檚 end, and that she is not to live at any residence where domestic animals are present.
Zhou is schedule to return to court in January 2019, faced with a charge of breaching conditions while awaiting trial. She entered a not-guilty plea on that charge Wednesday afternoon.
