Quebec: Boy, 10, traumatized by SPCA death tour
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Friday, February 22, 2008
A Montreal boy's wish for a final farewell to his pet dog became a horror story that has prompted apologies from an embarrassed SPCA. When the family of 10-year-old Justin Miller-Clarke brought their deceased dog, Marley, to the SPCA last Friday, an employee asked the family if they would like to come with the dog to say their "last goodbyes," said Jacqueline Miller, Justin's mother. The worker led them to a cold storage room filled with dead animals. "I could see dead animals on the top of (the bins), and I could also see a dead and bleeding cat on a table," Ms. Miller said. "I was in total shock, my 10-year-old son was horrified -- we both had nightmares and cannot forget the images." Montreal SPCA executive director Pierre Barnoti said he "personally apologized" to the family, adding he was "horrified that one of our employees would take someone to our cold room."