The owners of a puppy mill in west Quebec have agreed to abide by a court order and not own more than three pets or operate a kennel for the next two years.

More than 500 dogs living in poor conditions were seized from the "Paws-R-Us" kennel in Shawville last September and the kennel's owners were charged.

Neither Charlene Labombard nor her daughter Nicole was at a Gatineau court Friday when the case was resolved, but their lawyer was present and spoke on their behalf.

Jean-Carol Boucher said the two women wanted to put the case behind them.

"For Madame Labombard and her daughter they were wanting to think about the future... they are considering new ways to establishing [themselves] on the farm so the order was the best way to settle the case quickly," said Boucher.

Both women pleaded guilty to 17 charges related to animal cruelty. Another of the owners of the kennel —Charlene Labombard's husband — recently died.

Humane Society slams 'lenient' penalty

Humane Society officials said at the time of the seizure the dogs were without sufficient food or water.

The Ottawa Humane Society executive director Bruce Roney released a statement Friday saying his organization is "outraged" by the lenient sentence.

"These animals suffered horribly and that’s not reflected in the punishment the criminals received. It’s completely unacceptable, given what these animals were subjected to and the extraordinary amount of time and resources that went into the medical care and rehabilitation of these dogs," wrote Roney.

The "Paws-R"Us" seizures marked the largest dog kennel rescue in Quebec's history.

All of the rescued dogs have since found new homes.