Len Menard, a councillor with the Township of the North Shore, has been found guilty of animal cruelty in connection with nine goats found dead on his property last September. Ontario Provincial Police said at the time that it was a case of long-term neglect. 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. Goats lacked food, water, shelter “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 Sept. 9, 2025. According to documents from the Elliot Lake Courthouse dated Sept. 9, Menard, 62, was found guilty of Neglecting to Provide for Animals between November 2024 and March 2025. He received a 10-month sentence to be served in the community, provided he follows 12 conditions, including remaining in the province, remaining at home for the first six months (with some exceptions), not drinking or buying alcohol or taking any non-prescription drugs. He was also found guilty of assault dating to an incident Sept. 2, 2025, breaching a release order Sept. 8, 2025, and not appearing in court in Elliot Lake on Oct. 7, 2025. He received two years’ probation for those offences. Menard is also prohibited from owning or residing in the same place as any animal or bird for 10 years. According to the township’s website, Menard has registered to run for re-election in the Oct. 26 vote.
