A farmer from the Navan-area will go to trial after pleading not-guilty to animal cruelty charges.
Maurice Mouawad, 54, was initially charged with animal cruelty on Oct. 20 after the Ottawa Humane Society visited his property to investigate a complaint about the condition of animals on his farm.
During one of the visits, inspectors apparently found a dog with an injured leg.
Several sheep, rabbits, chickens and ducks were allegedly found without adequate food and water during another visit. Inspectors said some of those animals were also injured.
Mouawad was charged in relation to those offences on Dec. 10.
The case is scheduled to go to court on Jan. 5, marking the first time the Ottawa Humane Society will go to trial since the organization started laying charges under Ontario's new Animal Cruelty Act, which came into effect in March.
