(file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW staff

NB Court

Case for man facing charges after cattle seized moved to November

Oct 26, 2022 | 2:17 PM

A man facing charges for failing to provide adequate care after a large number of cattle were seized by Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan (APSS) from a property near North Battleford was back in court Wednesday.

Following an investigation in April, Morris Tokaryk was charged under the Criminal Code. He’s accused of causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to animals and failing to provide adequate water, food, and care for animals.

He has also been charged under the Animal Protection Act for allowing animals to be in distress as well as for failing to comply with a corrective action order.

At North Battleford Provincial Court Wednesday, the court heard Tokaryk, made an application to request a court-appointed defence lawyer to represent him.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer Schmidt said it’s a complicated case.

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She related financial need may be an issue as to whether the accused can afford a lawyer.

Schmidt said about 150 of his cattle died, noting there is a dispute as to whether their death was the result of the accused’s alleged actions or not.

She added the remaining animals were seized by Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan, and then sold.

“He was given the proceeds after they were seized, but it was a very small amount of money,” she said.

The court heard the accused will need to speak to court services to see if he can make an agreed-upon contribution toward the cost of a court-appointed defence lawyer if he is eligible.

The case has been adjourned to Nov. 2 at 10 a.m.

It was previously reported, with the assistance of Blaine Lake RCMP, Animal Protection Services executed a search warrant from April 6 to 8 at a property near Whitkow, Sask. As a result of the investigation, 308 cattle were seized.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow