From the Toronto Star, "Cruelty charges at Toronto Humane Society":
Tim Trow, THS President, charged with Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence (2 counts), Cruelty to Animals (2 counts), and Obstruction of a Peace Officer (3 counts).
Gary McCracken, THS General Manager, charged with Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence (2 counts), Cruelty to Animals, and Obstruction of a Peace Officer (3 counts).
Dr. Steve Sheridan, THS Head Veterinarian, charged with Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence and Cruelty to Animals.
Andy Bechtel charged with Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence (2 counts), Cruelty to Animals, and Obstruction of a Peace Officer (3 counts).
Romeo Bernadino charged with Conspiracy to Commit and Indictable Offence (2 counts), Cruelty to Animals, and Obstruction of a Peace Officer (3 counts).
All of the above, as well as the THS Board of Directors, are also charged with five counts of animal cruelty, a provincial offence under the Ontario SPCA Act.
They should count themselves lucky that's all they got charged with.
Video from the Toronto Sun here.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
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10 comments:
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.
I can't believe all the donations that were supposed to go to enriching an animals life in the shelter is going to pay for these assholes lawyers.
Justice should be served for our four legged friends!!
I don't watch much tv, so I just now (Fri morning) found out about this. I shall be doing my Happy Dance all weekend long!! Great news! See ya Tim!
Lynda
I also feel bad for Trow's dog, caught up in this.
Although this Twitter poster seems to have information that would excuse them:
http://twitter.com/Jennifer_JJ/statuses/6094234780
("The dog they sprayed has a SERIOUS aggression prob & has been kept in seclusion after it mauled a child.")
Hi Biscuit, I understand that while Trow may have his own dog(s) at his home, the dog that was pepper sprayed, rightly or wrongly in this case, is Bandit. Bandit severely mauled a child several years ago, requiring hundreds of stitches, and was court ordered to be euthanized but Trow "rescued" the dog and refused the court order. Instead he confines the dog on the property of the THS where it has allegedly continued to bite and attack people within the shelter. The police officer was only the latest to experience the volatility of this dog.
It can be argued that with proper behaviour modification and training the dog might be made manageable but apparently, as evidenced by yesterday's encounter with the officer, this has not happened in the many years Bandit has been under the care of Trow.
And Trow's done nothing to make that effort, from the sound of it, just leaves him in the office? What a dick he is.
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091127/OSPCA_arrests_091127/20091127?hub=Toronto
More news. The media's going on a walk-through at 2 pm. Apparently 4 animals had to be euthanized. According to this, the condition of their bail is that they can't contact THS employees or care for any animals other than their personal pets (thank God). I wonder if Bandit counts as his personal pet? I hope not.
"Christmas fundraising is one of our busiest times," McConnachie said. "This could be designed to hurt our charity."
Yeah, it has nothing to do with animal abuse. That would be silly.
This whole saga is sad and troubling on so many levels...I just read in the Star that the media tour has been interrupted because a mummified cat was found inside a live trap in a dropped ceiling. What the f*@% was wrong with these people???
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/731795--mummified-cat-found-at-humane-society?bn=1
While it is great news that there are going to be changes at THS, I just can't be totally happy about it....yet. Yes, Trow was a nightmare and didn't have a clue on how to run a shelter but at least we know what he was about. The OSPCA is still somewhat of an unknown entity, at least to me. Because Trow was so adamant about not euthanizing, and apparently there was this 'political agenda' between THS & the OSPCA, is the OSPCA now going to be euthanizing animals left & right to show how different they are from THS? I certainly hope not. I hope that the OSPCA vets will be much more competent than the THS one and will bring some common sense to the situation.
My main concern is for the animals who are deemed to have 'behaviour problems'. Of course, if an animal is terminally ill and suffering, they will have to be euthanized but what about the ones who are physically alright but are considered 'too aggressive'. As you said, behaviour modification & training could help but obviously THS didn't do this, they just left them in their cages, making them even more anxious and aggressive. Are the OSPCA people now going to throw up their hands, say that they are too far gone, nothing would help them now, it's too costly, blah, blah, blah. I just feel so bad for these dogs ( & cats). They weren't born aggressive. Humans have failed them all along, not socializng them properly, putting them in a shelter where they are ignored & now what? What's ahead for them? Like I said...can't be happy yet.
The Vets in there helping are former THS vets. Vets/Shelters have a repsonsibility to public health and safety. If an animal is aggressive, whatever the cause may be, mauls people or other animals it should be place with expert care, if it is in a shelter all pprecautions should be taken to ensure that staff, volunteers and the public are protected
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