Illicit kennel operator sentenced

Of the more than 100 Fox Terrier dogs that were brought -- alive -- out of the unspeakable filth of Marc-Andre Laporte's Blainville home two-and-a-half years ago, twenty had to be euthanized.

Not only did Laporte not get any of his remaining animals back, as he had hoped he would, but the judge in his case gave him what some would consider a tough sentence -- under current quebec law: a two-thousand dollar fine and 200 hours of community work....

The SPCA's Elizabeth Pierce is satisfied with the ruling against Laporte, but believes quebec laws protecting animals need to be toughened.

As for the rescued fox terriers: , physically, the surviving dogs look fine.  Psychologically, Pierce says they are still on the mend -- timid and fearful.  Pierce fears the dogs may never be the dogs they might have been.