Legal proceedings against a woman who once cared for 4,000 mice and other animals finally came to an end in a Kitchener, Ont. court on Feb. 20 when she agreed to permit regular inspections of her home.

In return for her consent in a one-year peace bond, an animal-cruelty charge against Anita Logel, 61, was dropped. "This matter is finally over for you," Justice Michael Epstein said.

Years of complaints by neighbours came to a head when Kitchener officials got a warrant to go into Logel's house in the fall of 2006. They found more animals than anyone expected, with 4,000 mice, plus guinea pigs, rabbits, turtles, pigeons and dogs taken from the house by the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society.

"It was certainly a case like I've never dealt with before," said Gary Boes, an inspector for the society. The mice were destroyed, but the other animals were returned to Logel after she proved she had proper facilities to care for them. Boes said Logel has since moved but, citing confidentiality provisions, he wouldn't say where she now houses her animals or how many there are.

Logel was detained under mental health laws and sent for a psychological assessment, but there was no evidence in court that she has an illness. Her lawyer, Steve Gehl, said she is simply an "animal lover" and all of her pets were healthy when authorities moved in.

"I think it was overkill taking it to court," he said.