Updated: Wed Jan. 28 2009 18:24:54

ctvcalgary.ca

A Fernie man will no face jail time for a disturbing animal abuse case.

Frederick Hoath, 57, is sentenced to a fine of one thousand dollars for each of five counts of animal cruelty. He also received two years probation and 100 hours of community service. Hoath must pay close to 750 dollars for the cost of the rescue. He is allowed to keep his own dog but is banned from owning any new pets for a period of two years.

Five puppies were dumped in a roadside outhouse and left to die in the Crowsnest Pass in January 2008.

The animals were discovered, rescued, and eventually tracked to litter of puppies owned by a Crowsnest Pass woman.

Samantha Rieberger, 42, is also charged with animal cruelty. She will stand trial in February.

In passing down his sentence, the Pincher Creek judge called Hoath a good person who did a cruel thing. At his trial, witnesses testified that Hoath was a helpful and caring neighbour who organized a community toy drive.

Animals rights groups say they are disappointed with the sentence.

The maximum sentence on cruelty to animal charges is a fine up to five thousand dollars, six months in jail, or both.

Comments are now closed for this story

Monica in Calgary
Um....excuse me....he's allowed to keep HIS dog??!! Are you kidding me??!! He doesn't deserve the devotion of an animal by his side! Absolutely disgusting!! Something is truly wrong with our judicial system!!

JB
What a sick old man. The real fine should have been dumping him down a toilet. What a waste of a human being. Why wouldn't he surrender the puppies to an animal rescue? Such laziness almost cost these sweet puppies their lives.

DrummersRock
He's allowed to keep his own dog - super :( Would his own dog happen to be the mother of the puppies he dumped? If so, has he been made to have her spayed so that he doesn't get a second chance at repeating the same behaviour with another innocent litter? This guy makes me sick, and what a joke that there's no jail time. "A good person who did a cruel thing" - thanks, Judge, for rationalizing away your obvious inability to provide a legitimate punishment for a disturbing, disgusting, and extremely inhumane act.

Thankfully, at least, the puppies were found in time.

Helene
I shake my head at some people's stupidity; what would make someone think that is okay to do? Then we give him a slap on the wrist!!
Let's see how he would like to spend some time where he dumped them?!

Shawn
The sentence seems appropriate. It's based on the actual harm, not the harm he intended.

I own two beautiful little guys myself, so that part of me wants a pound of flesh.

The judge should have ordered him to serve his community service in an animal shelter. That would teach him very effectively.

lyn dean
What exactly is the problem with the Judges in this Province - they had an opportunity to put this man in jail and they did not. Why not? Exactly what abuse would be required to go to jail? As usual for this Province,this is insufficient and unacceptable. I hope his community makes him well aware of what he's done.

Kristy from Calgary
Wow, way to show that man the law! As a human that judge was supose to be the voice for those poor puppies, not just take into account that this man was a good citizen and did a toy drive! My god, he could have just put them in a box and drove them to the SPCA.

William F. Barron
My God! I would hate to think what someone must do to get the maximum sentence under law if this Turkey got away with a slap on the wrist because he organized a crummy toy drive?

Marcel
Every animal abuse case I have heard in the past 6 months is a joke. Everyone gets off with barely any punishment. It was attempted murder on helpless animals. Who cares if he was a good person prior to this incident, he commited a crime and should be punished more then just a slap on the wrist and a small fine.

Hannelore Wilson (CALGARY)
I agree another joke sentence
handed down I am disappointed
this guy should have gotten jail time and his dog taken away from him . there is no excuse at all. As a pet owner and a animal lover
ALL ANIMALS SHOULD HAVE JUSTICE DONE

c.s
Yes,I agree this was a shortfall,for a small fine,for what he did.
This is what he gets,for charging so much to finding a home for the animals.
This should be a lesson to all, who charge so much for the litters of their dogs or cats.
I love my two dogs and they love me, I picked them up,they were away from death, of being dropped of the same way.I hate to see animals out there being abuse like that.
There is someone out there who loves dogs but won't pay the price for them, like most seniors.

Paula James
What a joke and a disgrace! So this is the conserv answer to animal cruelty. Great job guys. $1000 to throw a pup down an outhouse hole and let it die slowly of starvation in feces. Thanx 4 showin us how much animals mean 2 you. Thankfully they mean alot more to most Cdns that asked for better animal cruelty laws and lax punishments like this only make us want to fight harder! Please go here to see how you can help change animal cruelty laws in Canada! And Thanx CTV for the excellent coverage on these issues as always! http://stopanimalcrueltyincanada.wordpress.com/help-with-petition/

Marg in Calgary
He should have gotten the maximum!! I have no use for anyone who couldn't be bothered to bring those puppies to a shelter instead of doing what he did.

Someone should dump him down a toilet and see how he likes it!

Angery
Another lame sentence. Perhaps Judges are to be reminded that they are there for more then a pay cheque.

I give up on the justice system.

Karen Barker
The judge said he was a 'good person who did a bad thing'? A good person would not throw live baby animals down a hole full of feces and leave them to die. The guy should have been prosecuted to the full extent of the law, which is in itself pathetic. By the judge's logic, I guess it's okay to murder someone too, as long as you contribute to a toy drive beforehand?

Renee Haraga
I feel this man should have to take counseling as well as pay his fines and do community service work. He could leave five helpless animals to starve in utter filth...he needs therapy.

Jane
This man will likely not stop at this act of cruelty. His "punishment" is a joke. Perhaps he should have a trip down the outhouse hole to see how he likes it. When will our cruel world actually learn that all of God's creatures have value, and have feelings and feel pain. This judge is pathetic. I wonder how this judge can sleep at night.

sjm
What he did was wrong,no doubt,however, perhaps if the Pass had an SPCA that assisted, this would have never happened.

Kim R
I don't understand why jail sentences are not given. Most people seem outraged.What do we have to do as law abiding citizens to encourage judges to hand down jail sentences? Are our jails too full?

wingy72
shame on you, Frederick Hoath and Samantha Rieberger!

TLP
One good act for children does not justify this type of cruelty to animals - helpless puppies who couldn't fend for themselves. The SPCA would have taken them!! since he/they didn't want them.Were they even his to get rid of??Our so called justice system is a disgrace

JLC
Another joke sentence handed down.....
It should not matter that he organized a toy drive, he dropped 5 helpless creatures into a toilet, and I do not understand how in his head he thought it was okay thing to do.