Simeon Smith, the man accused of shooting Buddy, a German shepherd-mix dog, is expected to plead guilty next month.

Smith, 32, will attend court Nov. 5 to enter his plea. He is charged with one count of causing an animal to be in distress, one count of permitting the animal to be in distress, one count of failing to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention and one count of failing to humanely kill an animal by a method that is humane and minimizes the pain and distress of the animal.

If convicted under the Ontario SPCA Act, he could face a maximum of $60,000, up to two years in jail and a lifetime ban from owning animals.

Buddy died March 9 due to heart complications during a surgery to fix damage he sustained after being shot twice at close range in the face and head area with a shotgun. He had pellets embedded throughout his body. He survived the initial shooting, was found and brought to Walden Animal Hospital, where it seemed he was on the mend.