Irene Lima and Chad Kabecz were sentenced to 12 years in prison each after declaring guilty of several cruelty crimes against animals.
The evidence presented in court documented torture and killing of over 90 animals, including dozens of cats and kittens, as well as rabbits, birds, hamsters, rats and other small animals.
Tortures were recorded and videos were distributed and sold through an online clandestine network, which also included a private group on Telegram.
The Winnipeg police investigation led to the seizure and analysis of the couple's electronic devices, in which hundreds of videos and photographs were found, as well as tens of thousands of encrypted messages linked to the activity.
In addition to the detention penalty, the court imposed both the ban on life of owning animals, as well as having custody or control.
The case has caused a very strong public indignation in Canada, eliciting vigils, demonstrations and requests for greater protection of animals.
The judgment, delivered in February 2026 in Manitoba, is one of the most significant cases in Canadian judicial history for the severity of the penalty inflicted by cruelty to animals.