Animal Advocates Watchdog
Toronto Humane Society officials face animal cruelty charges
Posted: November 26, 2009, 9:08 PM by Daniel Kaszor
OSPCA
By Kenyon Wallace
The Toronto Humane Society’s controversial president, chief veterinarian and general manager have been arrested and charged with animal cruelty after a six-month investigation allegedly revealed that dozens of “disease-infested” animals were left to die in their cages rather than being euthanized.
The arrests came late on Thursday afternoon shortly after the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals raided the Humane Society’s River Street building based on evidence that staff allegedly failed to provide animals with adequate food and water and also attempted to prevent peace officers from conducting an inspection earlier this year.
“There’s absolutely no disease control or pathogen control in this building,” said Christopher Avery, a lawyer representing the OSPCA. “The animals are left to catch horrible diseases and die in their crates based on the euthanasia policy in refusing to allow the veterinarians who work here to do their jobs.”
Tim Trow, the Humane Society’s president, is charged with cruelty to animals, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and obstruction of a peace officer. Chief veterinarian Steve Sheridan, general manager Gary McCracken, shelter supervisor Andy Bechtel, and manager Romeo Bernadino are also charged with cruelty to animals and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. All five, along with the Humane Society’s board of directors, also face charges of animal cruelty, a provincial offence under the Ontario SPCA Act.
Animal cruelty charges face a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a $2,000 fine, while obstructing a peace officer carries a two-year jail sentence.
Mr. Avery said that Toronto police officer was forced to pepper spray Mr. Trow’s dog, Bandit, when it attacked the officer during the raid.
“This is a difficult day for the Ontario SPCA and the Toronto Humane Society, but it is necessary to protect the lives of animals,” said OSPCA Chief Executive Officer Kate MacDonald. “We realize that the [Humane Society] is capable of providing an important public service, but it could not fulfill its responsibilities until this action was taken.
“Our first priority is the safety of the animals currently in the … facility. Our team of veterinarians will assess their health and take appropriate actions.”
Mr. Avery said inspectors would spend the next few days comparing the condition of every animal currently at the Humane Society with veterinary records to determine if further charges should be laid.
The charges stem from an OSPCA investigation that began in early 2009 after current and former employees and volunteers complained about conditions at the Humane Society. An inspection of the facility by OSPCA officers in June revealed several animals in distress, including a cat whose skin was peeling away from his body due to liver disease, and a kitten with a fractured skull that was not euthanized but instead allowed to die of its injuries. The OSPCA suspended the Humane Society’s affiliate status but says the shelter’s operations remained unchanged.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the OSPCA says it obtained internal records showing that “many animals admitted to the Humane Society die slow, painful deaths rather than being humanely euthanized according to the accepted standards of veterinary medicine -- and against the orders of the veterinarian on duty.”
The OSPCA also says it has evidence that Humane Society staff attempted to hide two dozen animals in poor condition from inspectors during the June inspection.
But yesterday Humane Society spokesman Ian McConachie denied the allegations.
“No animal, contrary to the claims of the OSPCA, is left neglected and dying in cages. That’s just a complete fabrication and I welcome anyone to come into the shelter -- if you’re allowed -- any day of the week and you’ll see animals awaiting adoption,” he said.
Mr. McConachie said the arrests were politically motivated by the diverging philosophical positions on euthanasia held by the Humane Society and the OSPCA.
“Any other shelter would euthanize a lot of these animals because they consider them to be too much trouble. We don’t do that,” he said. “When an animal is terminally sick or injured with no hope of recovery, we will euthanize. If an animal is simply sick or has a traumatic injury, we’ll do everything we can to make it better. Sometimes they survive and we’re able to rehabilitate them and put them up for adoption. Sometimes they’ll pass away.”
Syliva Adamcik, a former volunteer kitten feeder, told the National Post that some volunteers were not well-trained, which she thinks contributed to animal health problems. She described the staffing at the Humane Society as a “revolving door of employees” with no clear explanations given by management for why staff left or were dismissed.
She also questioned the the Humane Society’s euthanasia policy.
“One kitten was brought in and it was almost dead. It had maggots coming out of it, but the kitten was not put down,” Ms. Adamcik said. “If you have a no-kill policy, it’s a slippery slope. You’re causing cruelty to animals. It would probably be more humane to just put them down.”
Yesterday wasn’t the first time Mr. Trow flirted with controversy. He was forced to resign as Humane Society president -- a voluntary position -- in 1983 after the board of directors, in a letter to former Toronto mayor Art Eggleton, alleged financial mismanagement and animal cruelty. His first presidency lasted just longer than a year. He became president again in 2001.
National Post, with files from Philippa Croome
[Image: Tim Trow, the Toronto Humane Society President, is arrested and taken away from the Toronto Humane Society on Thursday, November 26, 2009. Trow and other officials were arrested and charged with animal cruelty. (Brett Gundlock/National Post)
