Stéphanie Paquette, 41, also has numerous small claims judgments, in municipal court and in the criminal chamber.
When her Australian Shepherd Jack bit a neighbor, Denise Roose called on Ms. Paquette through one of her businesses, ZenZoo Animal Center, to have her animal assessed for dangerousness.
“I told him: we don’t think about adoption until there is a report of dangerousness,” says the retiree from Mont-Blanc, in the Laurentians.
“She sold my dog without my consent two days later.”
— Denise Rose
Then, radio silence from the woman who introduces herself as a “breeder and animal behaviorist”.
After two months of searching, Ms. Roose finally found Jack with a family in Blainville, still in the Laurentians. They agree to have the dog evaluated. Its level of dangerousness was rated at 7 out of 10.
“It was a bomb in their hands,” she said.
Denise Roose searched for her Australian Shepherd for over two months. When she found him, she had to decide to have him euthanized. (@mtlsocialpups/@mtlsocialpups)
The animal was euthanized. A small claims judgment subsequently awarded compensation of $1,500 to Denise Roose, which she was unable to obtain.
“We love our animals and we can be blind,” she said. This relationship is precious and she takes advantage of it to make money.”
Yoann Buguay, from Quebec, also had trouble with Stéphanie Paquette.
The civilian employee of the capital’s police department paid him $700 to acquire a “purebred” Siberian cat.
They agree to a one-night trial since Mr. Bugay fears being allergic.
This is what happens. In addition, the cat suffers from severe conjunctivitis.
Following her request for reimbursement, Ms. Paquette blocked all contact with Mr. Bugay. And a veterinarian confirmed to him that it was not a purebred cat.
He then noted that the breeder had been the subject of several prosecutions and convictions without “never paying anyone”.
“I feel like she had no consequences for her actions,” he said.
Reparations and recriminations
All the housing owners who have crossed paths with Ms. Paquette and contacted by The Voice of the East report having had very unpleasant experiences and having had to pay large sums of money for repairs.
Whether they are from Saint-Aimé (Montérégie), Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets and Warwick (Centre-du-Québec), Windsor and Saint-Joachim-de-Shefford (Estrie), their testimonies are similar.
Because Stéphanie Paquette, who does business under the name ZenZoo Animal Center but also Royal Cattery, Lion Empire Cattery, Samuraïs Clan AkiShi, Phénix Animal Shelter and several others, breeds animals in the houses she rents a little everywhere in Quebec.
“Often, she took the money without providing animals,” denounces Jean-Philippe Chrétien, an owner from Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets who had to pay nearly $20,000 to repair his house when his family left. tenant, in 2022.
“She had 12 or 13 cats with just two litter boxes,” he said. There was shit everywhere. About ten dogs too, and chickens, birds, rabbits, a ferret, jerboas, lizards, even raccoons.”
A former owner of Stéphanie Paquette noticed that she had even adopted a raccoon. (Alexandra Gagnon)
He believes that Ms. Paquette owes money to several government agencies, including the Society for the Protection of Animals which seized her home, but that in the end she has “not a cent.” He therefore refused to be reimbursed.
“She loves animals, but doesn’t take care of them. She always moves and never pays.”
“I understand that she wants to adopt lots of animals, but she loses control and leaves them in a terrible state,” underlines Krystel Viens, who took in the breeder a few months earlier in Saint-Aimé.
“We had to change the floors, there were dead animals… It was terrible.”
She also “let the bailiff do it” since her former tenant is “really not solvent”.
Pierre Couture (Catherine Trudeau/La Voix de l’Est)
Then, in 2022 and 2023, Ms. Paquette lived in a house belonging to Pierre Couture in Saint-Joachim-de-Shefford, in Estrie.
He also has bitter memories of it.
“Everything she told me, like her job for example, was false,” he said. She has very good verbiage.”
The retired construction contractor says he paid $20,000 in damages.
“She loves her animals, but it was upside down. It was a dump. She had an aviary with droppings everywhere. I had to change steps because of cat pee. A man spent two months cleaning, and she was there barely six months.”
Ms. Paquette then found refuge in a rented house a few kilometers away, Waterloo, where her current owner finds little fault with her.
“It’s not the cleanest, but nothing allows me to doubt it,” says lawyer Richard Arcand. Her heart is as big as the planet. I know she was very ill. She’s in line to move soon.”
Stéphanie Paquette’s current home in Waterloo. (Catherine Trudeau/La Voix de l’Est)
The breeder was, however, convicted of two offenses under the city’s regulations, namely for refusing access to her accommodation to municipal inspectors and for dog barking, indicates the municipality’s prosecutor, Jocelyn Bélisle.
Ms. Paquette must also defend herself from an accusation of having raised animals in her home when zoning does not allow it.
She is expected in municipal court on June 17 “but I will be surprised if she is there,” says Me Bélisle.
“People will also come and testify that they bought cats from him in poor condition which had to be euthanized.”
The Voice of the East was unable to reach Stéphanie Paquette this week.
Twenty-two entries appear in his criminal file, mainly for threats, assault and non-compliance with court orders, offenses committed in the judicial district of Saint-François, in Estrie.
She is also the subject of pending charges of theft and fraud, crimes allegedly committed in Bromont.
