B.C. breeder with 'belligerent' attitude towards SPCA, no remorse for suffering dogs fined $6K

SPCA animal protection officers removed 18 adult dogs and 11 puppies from a Squamish, B.C., breeder in November 2016 after receiving a tip from the public. (Handout)

A dog breeder who was “belligerent” towards the B.C. SPCA and failed to show “any remorse” for the suffering of animals in her care has been fined $6,000, according to a recent court decision.

The sentence for Neddy Tsin-Minions was handed down in North Vancouver provincial court last month, nearly seven years after SPCA officers seized 29 dogs from her Squamish home in November 2016.

The court heard Tsin-Minions, now 61 years old, had been breeding Coton du Tulears, fluffy white dogs described by the American Kennel Club as “immensely charming” and “happy-go-lucky” companions, named after the city in Madagascar.

While the breeding females and their puppies were found in “reasonable condition,” other dogs were in medical distress or otherwise suffering from neglect, poor hygiene and a lack of veterinary care, Judge Joanne Challenger wrote in her Oct. 20 decision.

“The condition of some dogs was simply appalling,” Challenger said.

The court heard Tsin-Minions’ home reeked of urine, and that unsanitary food was left out for the dogs to eat. SPCA officers discovered eight of the animals shut inside a small SUV, which was parked in a dark garage, with insufficient ventilation and no access to water.

“The dogs had been inside the vehicle for approximately five hours,” Challenger wrote. “Most had feces smeared on their coat. Several of these dogs were in extremely poor condition with respect to both their hygiene and health.”

Despite the lack of basic care some of the dogs received, the court heard Tsin-Minions was likely earning between $1,000 and $2,000 in proceeds per Coton puppy sold.

The two charges Tsin-Minions subsequently faced under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act were the result of the breeder “choosing to pursue profit … over providing a clean and safe environment, proper food, adequate grooming and proper veterinary care for all of the dogs in her possession,” Challenger wrote.

ACCUSED NOT 'FORTHRIGHT' WITH COURT

The court heard the breeder’s conviction, which wasn’t handed down until March 2022, was delayed in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the fact that it took another 19 months to deliver a sentence was due to "the conduct of Ms. Tsin-Minions" herself, according to the decision.

Tsin-Minions, who did not accept her guilty verdict, tried to argue she would be unable to pay the $6,000 fine suggested by prosecutors, backing that claim with financial documents Challenger ultimately found either incomplete or misleading.

The breeder initially said she had only one bank account, which the judge determined was not a “truthful assertion.” There was at least one other account she shared with her former common-law partner, and the limited bank statements provided to the court included a large payment that Challenger found was “inconsistent” with what Tsin-Minions had otherwise reported about their incomes.

"It is clear that Ms. Tsin-Minions has not been forthright about her circumstances in many respects," the judge wrote.

"Ms. Tsin-Minions has not established to the balance of probability what the state of her finances is and as such has failed to establish she would be unable to pay the fine suggested."

Challenger also questioned whether Tsin-Minions was being “candid” about how many dogs she had in her possession during her case – a matter that was of concern to the court and SPCA.

The breeder told the court in July 2022 that she had two dogs, then in March 2023 claimed it had actually been three, but that her former partner had already taken them away when he moved to Alberta.

She said a fourth dog, which she had purchased as a puppy in January 2023, remained in her possession.

Tsin-Minions also told the court her landlord, whom she identified as one “Ms. Leung,” could verify the number of dogs in her care, but prosecutors determined her landlord actually had the surname So.

So was unable to attend court for medical reasons.

FINES COVER PUPPY PROCEEDS

While two similar cruelty cases reviewed by the court resulted only in probation orders, Challenger wrote that she had “no confidence” Tsin-Minions would comply with such an order – particularly given the breeder’s “contemptuous and belligerent attitude towards the SPCA who investigated and testified, and which she demonstrated throughout the proceedings.”

“Ms. Tsin-Minions has not demonstrated an understanding of the harm suffered by the dogs in her care,” Challenger added. “She has not demonstrated any remorse about or insight into the seriousness of her offending conduct. I find a significant fine is also necessary to specifically deter Ms. Tsin-Minions and to hopefully instill a sense of responsibility."

The breeder had already managed to get her seized Coton du Tulears puppies returned so she could sell them, but was also ordered by the Farm Industry Review Board to pay the SPCA $13,171 to cover the agency's costs relating to the seizure, including veterinary care for the dogs in medical distress.

That amount, along with the additional $6,000 ordered by the court, would be “equal to the minimum amount of profit she would likely have realized from the sale of the puppies,” Challenger wrote.

“I find this to be appropriate in principle,” the judge added.

Tsin-Minions was also banned from breeding dogs, or from owning more than one dog as a pet for the rest of her life.