BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO
Many of you saw the horrific video – Earle slamming his dog on the pavement and choking him
Belleville police criminally charged Samuel Earle of Causing Unnecessary Suffering – Earle pleads guilty and Judge Joseph Dart completely ignores the punishment guidelines laid out in the Code and gives him probation – no jail time! No $ fine!!!!!!
He plead guilty to a SUMMARY CONVICTION with the following punishment attributed to it….BUT instead Judge Joseph Dart – suspended his sentence to probation!!!
an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or to both.
Is this all meant to be a joke? Why do we have sentencing ranges if a Judge can just ignore because the animals horrifically abused did not appear to have any permanent injuries.
A CALL TO ACTION – please see bottom on post. We need your voice!
Animal Abuser Samuel Earle was charged and plead guilty under Canadian Criminal Code statute 445.1
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The punishment is clearly laid out in the criminal code (see below)…but despite that, Judge Joseph Dart ignored this and sentenced Samuel Earle to probation for 12 months and no $ fine!
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Judge Joseph Dart justified this horrendously lax punishment due to the fact that the dog did not seem to have any permanent injuries.
After the beating and choking of his dog, Earle turned his sick wrath on a person standing nearby…beating her. Belleville police charged him for that and oh ya….those charges WERE DROPPED !!!!!!!
Q: WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE OF DETERRENCE DOES THIS SEND?
Most of you saw the video of Samuel Earle slamming his dog on the pavement and choking the dog.
Here is what he was charged with:
CAUSING UNNECESSARY SUFFERING
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445.1 (1) Every one commits an offence who:
(a) wilfully causes or, being the owner, wilfully permits to be caused unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal or a bird;
PUNISHMENT
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Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1) is guilty of
(a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years; or
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or to both.
A CALL TO ACTION: A brief email to these 6 individuals
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Email version if you would like to copy/paste:
Subject – Case of Samuel Z.A. Earle | Information #: 998 25 13101423
Ontario Court of Justice – East Region
Samuel Earle was arrested and charged by the Belleville Police on July 5, 2025 with 1 count of wilfully causing unnecessary pain, suffering and injury to his dog contrary to Criminal Code Section 445.1 (1) (a).
On December 23, 2025 he plead guilty and on March 25, 2026 was sentenced to a suspended sentence and 12 months probation.
The horrendous cruelty inflicted on his dog Jet was videotaped and went viral on social media.
Under 445.1 (1) (a), Earle was facing a Summary Indictable offence conviction punishment of an of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or to both.
What kind of deterrence is the Court sending to individuals who commit this level of cruelty. Earle was also charged with assault after beating the person who videotaped him.
Premier Doug Ford and this government regularly touts that Ontario has zero tolerance towards animal cruelty and that this province has the strictest penalties for perpetrators of this crime.
That is clearly not true. You are in fact sending a message of no consequences will be ordered.
What is the point of having a law if there is little interest in holding people to account who break it?
Animal Welfare is an important issue to Ontario taxpayers and this blatant disregard will not be forgotten.
EMAIL DISTRIBUTION
Ontario Premier Doug Ford
Email: Premier@ontario.ca
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey
Email: Doug.Downey@ontario.ca
Office#: 416-326-2220
Attorney General Issues Manager, Press Secretary: Julia Facca
Email: Julia.Facca@ontario.ca
Office#: 416-326-2220
Asst Crown Barry Stag
Email: barry.stagg@ontario.ca
Office#: 613-962-0772
Articling Student Sunpreet Gill
Email: sunpreet.gill@ontario.ca
Office#: 613-962-0772
Crown Attorney, East Region: Robert Andrew Scott
Email: robert.andrew.scott@ontario.ca
Regional Director, East Region: Julie Scott
Email: julie.scott@ontario.ca
A formal complaint is being made against Judge Joseph Dart but the Ontario Judicial Council only accepts letters/faxes sent to:
The Ontario Judicial Council
1 Queen Street East, Box 65
Toronto
M5C 2W5
The basis of the compliant is that Judge Joseph Dart, East Region did not follow the punishment range under Canada Criminal Code 445.1 – 1(a)
All needed info can be pulled from this post.