Maple Ridge News, April 18/01 By Karin Mark

An outspoken Maple Ridge exotic animal breeder is being investigated by the SPCA after allegations that her animals live have been inadequately cared for.Silvia Rutledge, who runs a petting zoo and breeds animals under the name Do-Little Farms, is best known for her vocal opposition to Maple Ridge’s new exotic animal bylaw. Adopted in February, the bylaw bans events that include wild or exotic animals and reptiles.One of Rutledge’s criticisms was that the bylaw assumed all exotic animal owners neglected their pets’ needs.Now she is being accused of doing just that, after leaving her animals in the care of local veterinary technician Ruth Pare while she was away at an exotic animal auction in Alberta. Rutledge could not be reached for comment Tuesday.Pare, who has 20 years experience working with exotic and domestic animals of all sizes, told The News Tuesday that many of the dozens of animals of Rutledge’s property were living in deplorable conditions.Pare said she saw ducklings crammed into spaces so small they couldn’t sit down, animals living in cramped, filthy cages and emaciated livestock with no bedding material and, in some cases, without appropriate food.On her first visit Friday evening, Pare said she found a dead rabbit and two dead guinea pig fetuses. When she returned early Saturday morning, she said she found another rabbit dead, another one dying and a dog in convulsions. The sun room where the dog and three others were kept was covered in vomit and feces, she said.Pare said she called the SPCA because she had no other contact numbers. When a representative arrived at 10 a.m., “he was horrified, to tell the truth.”The SPCA staffer arranged for the dog and dying rabbit to be sent to a veterinarian. A veterinarian visit was also scheduled for that day, said Shawn Eccles, an SPCA manager of operations.Eccles said that while the vet found some of the animals were thin, none were in distress. Legislation that governs the SPCA forbids the seizure of animals unless they are clearly sick, suffering, abused, neglected or deprived of food, water or shelter, he said. However, the vet did make recommendations to improve the conditions, he said.Pare said she spent several hours at the house Saturday and Sunday cleaning up, making the animals more comfortable and ensuring they had water and adequate food.

After finding a dead guinea pig and chick body in two of the dogs’ mouths, she said she covered up two fire pits in which she saw fur, feathers and animal bodies.Rutledge keeps llamas, horses, cattle, a donkey, pot-bellied pig, goats, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats and all manner of small rodents and exotics, including parrots and sugar gliders (a type of marsupial). Pare said many of the small caged animals were stacked floor to ceiling at the back of a semi-trailer that was two-thirds full of dirty cages.“As far as I’m concerned, they’re extremely inappropriately caged,” Pare said. “The animals in the house are probably the best cared for but they’re still filthy, the cages haven’t been cleaned in weeks and the litter boxes.”Pare said she has been on good terms with Rutledge, but has always had concerns about how she cared for her animals. But she was unprepared for what she saw on the weekend.“It was disgusting but it’s not necessary, because there are better facilities that could be used, but it just takes time,” Pare said. “I’m sure it’s just a matter of she doesn’t have time, but my thought is you shouldn’t have them if you don’t have the time. If you have them, you make time.”Eccles said SPCA representatives were prevented from entering the property on Tuesday by a locked gate, but were attempting to interview Pare and Rutledge. Eccles said the results of those interviews — and the post-mortem on the rabbit that later died — will help the SPCA decide if a search warrant should be obtained, if charges of animal cruelty should be laid, or if any other action should be taken.

AAS: No action taken. Another animal abuser given the green light by the BC SPCA to go on mistreating animals and make money at it.