Ont. man charged after police find 9 dead goats on his property

A North Shore man faces three animal cruelty charges after an OPP investigation found 10 goats, 9 dead, in a state of long-term neglect on Old Hydro Road.

A 61-year-old northern Ontario man from the North Shore has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty following a six-month investigation by police.

Ontario Provincial Police say they discovered nine dead goats on his property in a case of what officials describe as long-term neglect. He was arrested Tuesday and appeared in court in Blind River the same day.

The investigation began in March 2025 after the OPP and Provincial Animal Welfare Services visited a property on Old Hydro Road in the community. There, they discovered a structure housing 10 goats, but only one was alive.

Investigation found long-term neglect

“Veterinary consultation was also involved, which determined that the animals were not adequately cared for (providing food, water, shelter) over a long period of time,” OPP said in a news release Tuesday.

Following a lengthy investigation, the owner of the animals was charged with three counts of cruelty to animals for causing unnecessary pain, suffering or injury and an additional charge of causing damage or injury to an animal by failing to provide suitable/adequate food, water, care or shelter.