Judge reduces fine in one of Manitoba's worst animal abuse cases

A Manitoba judge has reduced a fine a Gull Lake, Man. woman was ordered to pay after being convicted in one of the worst cases of animal abuse in the province's history.

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Peter and Judith Chernecki pleaded guilty last year to animal cruelty charges after 64 dogs were seized from their property in Gull Lake in 2010. The condition of the animals was so poor, 34 of them had to be put down.

Peter Chernecki was sentenced to four months behind bars and he has already served that time. His wife, Judith, avoided a jail term and was fined $21,500 instead. Judith's lawyer told Justice Colleen Suche the fine was too high for the unemployed woman to pay.

The judge agreed Tuesday to lower the fine to $15,000 and gave Chernecki five years to pay.

If she doesn't come up with the money, she will have to go to jail for three months.

The couple is also banned from owning dogs for five years. The judge did not agree to reduce the length of that ban.

Bradley King, the couple's lawyer, said the Cherneckis are pleased to get a break on the fine, but they still thought the initial sentence was too harsh.

"These were kind and caring people who got in over their heads and their position was that the initial court didn't take that into account. they wanted to come back to court to get a balance back into their sentence, King said after court. "They entered guilty pleas initially so they were taking responsibility they were over their head. that's clear they wanted to come to court and get the balance right." 

Since the Chernecki case, the laws have been changed in Manitoba. There is now a lifetime ban on owning animals for anyone convicted of animal abuse.