Bandit Busted

December 2, 2009 permalink

A scandal at the Toronto Humane Society has revealed parallels between child protection and animal protection. They include cruelty to their wards and discouraging adoptions while engaging in insider adoption. Another is the futility of working through channels:

Linda MacKinnon, a spokeswoman for the Association for the Reform of the THS, said she felt relieved but saddened by news of the charges.

“We would have hoped that it could have come to a less dramatic conclusion … because we’ve worked hard to try to act as members and go through the appropriate channels with the board, to no avail,” she said. “So, regrettably, it’s come to this.”

The first enclosed article reports on the arrest of several Toronto Humane Society executives for cruelty to animals. The second article reports on efforts by the Society to discourage adoptions. It is only speculation, but analogy with child protectors suggests the management of the Humane Society found it more profitable to euthanize animals than to give them up for adoption.

How long til we see the headline: Children's Aid Officials Arrested, Face Child-Cruelty Charges?

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Toronto Humane Society officials arrested, face animal-cruelty charges

Toronto Humane Society president Tim Trow is placed in back of a police cruiser after police and the OSPCA raided the society's offices and shelter on River Street on Thursday afternoon. Four others were also arrested and taken away in police cruisers to 51 Division. Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail

Shelter's president, chief veterinarian and three others face criminal charges after Globe and Mail investigation uncovered widespread problems; board of directors also charged with provincial offence of cruelty to animals

Kate Hammer, Toronto — From Friday's Globe and Mail Published on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009 3:19PM EST Last updated on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009 10:22PM EST

The Toronto Humane Society’s president and chief veterinarian are facing criminal charges of animal cruelty for running a dysfunctional shelter where animals were allegedly denied food and water and left to die suffering in their cages.

The charges against volunteer president Tim Trow, veterinarian Steve Sheridan and three other senior officials came six months after a Globe and Mail investigation uncovered widespread allegations of problems at the River Street facility.

Toronto police officers and agents from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals swooped in Thursday afternoon to execute a search warrant and lead five handcuffed men out of a shelter that the OSPCA’s lawyer derided as “disease-infested.”

“These are animals who are just left to die in their cages,” Christopher Avery, a lawyer for the OSPCA, said during the raid. “They’re found dozens at a time, dead in [a] cage, every morning in this building. Dying from cancer, suffocating based on phlegm, these are animals who are starving to death, literally.”

THS spokesman Ian McConachie said the charges were without merit.

“The animals are under excellent veterinary care, they receive all medicines, all treatments, all procedures necessary to make them better,” he said.

“... Animals are not neglected, animals receive food, water, clean bedding and litter boxes every day and the dogs receive three walks every day.”

Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Police and the OSPCA raided the Toronto Humane Society offices and shelter on River Street.

A team of veterinarians has moved into the shelter and started inspecting the animals to ensure they are healthy and well cared-for, and to help determine whether further charges should follow. The shelter will be closed to the public until the inspection is concluded, likely in a few days.

If convicted, Mr. Trow, Dr. Sheridan, general manager Gary McCracken and senior staff members Romeo Bernadino and Andy Bechtel all face a maximum of five years in prison and tens of thousands of dollars in fines. They also face animal cruelty charges under the Ontario SPCA Act, as do all the volunteer members of the charity’s board of directors.

Police and OSPCA officers also executed a search warrant at Mr. Trow’s home yesterday.

As the shelter raid began just after 3 p.m., the sky was grey and the shelter bustling with unsuspecting staff and volunteers. A dog walker and her whipped-butterscotch toy dog froze as agents whisked past her to secure the building’s rear exits. Inside, bewildered staff were herded to the lobby.

Toronto police moved into Mr. Trow’s second-floor office, where Bandit, Mr. Trow’s rescued pit-bull-Labrador cross, lunged at them. They pepper-sprayed the dog and brought it under control, Mr. Avery said.

Bandit first made news in 2003 when he bit a three-year-old’s head, leaving a gash that required 200 stitches. The city ordered Bandit euthanized, but the THS refused and the dog came to live in Mr. Trow’s office. Former staff said that Bandit was aggressive and badly bit at least two more people.

Mr. Avery blamed many of the THS’s problems on shelter management’s reluctance to euthanize sick animals. He also said the advice of veterinarians was routinely ignored.

A source said that the warrant was executed swiftly in order to avoid evidence being destroyed or tampered with. Mr. Avery said that obstruction charges laid against Mr. Trow, Mr. McCracken, Mr. Betchel and Mr. Bernadino stemmed from a June 2 inspection, during which animals were allegedly hidden from investigators.

“We received information that [on June 2] approximately two dozen animals were moved around the shelter and kept out of the eyesight of the SPCA because of the condition they were in,” he said. “There’s also a number of animals euthanized. In other words, the shelter management took active steps to ensure that [OSPCA] Officer [Kevin] Strooband was not able to properly conduct his inspection.”

Linda MacKinnon, a spokeswoman for the Association for the Reform of the THS, said she felt relieved but saddened by news of the charges.

“We would have hoped that it could have come to a less dramatic conclusion … because we’ve worked hard to try to act as members and go through the appropriate channels with the board, to no avail,” she said. “So, regrettably, it’s come to this.”

Mr. Trow, Mr. McCracken, Mr. Betchel and Mr. Bernadino were all charged with cruelty to animals, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and obstruction of a peace officer. Dr. Sheridan was charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and cruelty to animals. All five men were expected to be released on bail Thursday night.

With a report from Stuart Paterson

Source: Globe and Mail

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Toronto Humane Society 'discouraged' adoptions

Megan O'Toole, National Post Published: Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Toronto Humane Society officials, including president Tim Trow, face several Criminal Code charges, including cruelty to animals. Peter J. Thompson, National Post Toronto Humane Society officials, including president Tim Trow, face several Criminal Code charges, including cruelty to animals.

When Diane Katz visited the Toronto Humane Society hoping to adopt a dog two years ago, it was with excited anticipation. She brought along a friend who volunteered at the society, and expected the process would be simple.

Among the rows of caged dogs, Ms. Katz came across a gentle labrador mix named Wilbur and fell in love, she recalled. Her friend steered her toward the adoption desk.

But after a half-hour of filling out questionnaires and listening to advice from society staff about why various dogs at the shelter -- including Wilbur -- would not be a good match for her, Ms. Katz left empty-handed.

"Every single one, they just discouraged us. They said this one has food issues, this one has toy issues, you can't have kids around this one," she said.

Her story is not unique. A variety of potential pet owners in the city say they have been dissuaded from adopting through the Toronto Humane Society because of what one source close to the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity, called a "climate of intimidation" -- one that prevailed even as the facility struggled with severe understaffing and animal overpopulation.

Laura Hendy, a senior administrator at the humane society, said this has been an ongoing problem at the River Street facility, which is the subject of an intensive search by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"We have received many, many complaints from people with regard to our restrictive adoption policies, and with regard to management not adopting to people based on appearance solely," she said. "If they chose not to like somebody, they didn't get an animal."

People have been turned away in the lobby by at least one senior official simply because they did not fit a set of intangible "criteria," the details of which staff were unaware, she said.

Riverdale resident Jeff Wasserman recalled visiting the Toronto Humane Society with his wife and young son several years ago. They eventually found a cat and were required to complete an interview with staff, a process that "consisted of treating us like criminals," he said.

"There seemed to be a feeling that we were guilty of something and they were going to get it out of us with their hostile questioning technique," said Mr. Wasserman, the National Post's photo editor. Eventually, the family was "begrudgingly" allowed to adopt the cat, but not long afterward, tragedy struck. The cat, contractually designated as an indoor animal, was allowed outside, then hit by a car and killed. When the humane society found out, Mr. Wasserman said, he was barred from the facility for life and forced to look elsewhere for a new family pet.

Other potential cat and dog adopters say they have been discouraged by the streams of paperwork required by Toronto Humane Society officials, while one woman recalled a centre stretched so thin that she waited hours to speak with the solitary adoption official.

"There was only one person handling the adoptions," said Susan, who did not want her last name used. "There were a whole bunch of us waiting to adopt these animals. It took forever."

The cat was for Susan's niece, and she recalls the process running into a snag when her niece could not provide additional proof of residence, besides her driver's licence.

Eventually, another volunteer -- evidently convinced the cat was going to a good home -- urged the pair to leave with the cat before senior management got wind of it, Susan recalled. "We literally crept down the back steps out of there," she said.

Ms. Hendy said most staff wanted to ensure animals found good homes outside of the shelter, and were dedicated to that cause.

The facility has been under intense scrutiny since OSPCA investigators, who have powers similar to police when dealing with animal welfare issues, swooped in last week after a probe allegedly revealed a horrific record of cruelty at the shelter.

A number of top humane society officials, including president Tim Trow, face several Criminal Code charges, including cruelty to animals.

A Crown attorney will be assigned to prosecute the case, said Christopher Avery, a lawyer retained by the OSPCA.

Christine Chene, a spokeswoman with the Canadian Association of Humane Societies, says it is fairly typical for humane societies to require potential new pet owners to fill out questionnaires providing information on lifestyle, work schedule, home environment, family size and other relevant topics. Some societies may have more restrictive policies than others, she said, but the overall goal should be to ensure the right animal is placed with the right family.

Source: National Post

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