A Lampman, Sask., farmer charged nearly two years ago under animal welfare laws has been fined after pleading guilty.
Chad Mokelky was fined $7,200 and assessed a victim surcharge of $2,800 after pleading guilty under Section 4 of the Animal Protection Act. Criminal code charges were stayed.
Mokelky is also prohibited from having cattle or other livestock in his possession for five years.
Animal protection workers seized 131 animals from Mokelky’s property in February 2019. Sixteen animals were also found dead.
He was subsequently charged under Section 4(2) of provincial legislation for causing or permitting an animal to be in distress.
The two Criminal Code of Canada charges were similar.
Mokelky took Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan to court shortly after the seizure, alleging it had been done improperly and that the seized animals didn’t belong to him. However, his application was dismissed.
Other cases continue to make their way through the courts but have been delayed by COVID-19.
