The woman charged in October with running a puppy mill in Edmonton's west end has pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty and was fined $5,000.

May Poon was facing eight charges under Alberta's Animal Protection Act, including causing distress to animals.

In April, a neighbour discovered 32 dogs and 10 cats housed in small cages — without adequate water or food and soiled with feces and urine — in Poon's home. He called the Humane Society, which spent months investigating the case.

Poon pleaded guilty Thursday to two charges of failing to provide proper care for an animal. On top of the fine, she is also banned from owning pets.