Wildlife rescue neglect - 28 animals seized
Adelaide-Metcalfe, ON (CA)Incident Date: Thursday, Mar 15, 2007
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Vivian Singer
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
Approximately 15 Ontario SPCA investigators were on scene March 16 at an animal facility located in the Township of Adelaide-Metcalfe, west of London to remove 28 animals - including 12 wolves, three wolf-dog hybrids, three raccoons, one red-tailed fox, three coyotes, and six shepherd-type dogs.
An assessment of the animals on the property began March 15 following information provided to the Ontario SPCA regarding animals in distress. Three dogs were found inside the house in filthy pens and without food or water. Ontario SPCA investigators issued Orders for improved living conditions and food and water, which were complied with. Investigators then found a black stallion pony in the barn with severe hoof ailments that lead to the veterinarian on scene recommending that the animal be humanely euthanized. As well, a brown mare pony was removed due to poor living conditions and poor body condition. The Ontario SPCA has relocated the pony to a boarding facility where she is receiving proper care.
Investigators also requested a veterinarian with expertise in wildlife to help assess the condition of the other animals on the property. The veterinarian ordered the removal of all of the animals due to filthy living conditions and the thin body condition of the animals - there was inadequate food and no fresh water available to the animals. Due to the lateness in the day which would impede the safety of the investigators handling the wolves at dark, and the logistics of finding facilities to relocate all of these animals to, Ontario SPCA investigators followed the veterinarian's recommendations for how to keep the animals as comfortable as possible through the night until the removal could be carried out today. The owner has surrendered all of the animals to the Ontario SPCA, which has been working diligently to find facilities to care for the different species involved.
Following the removal of the animals today the investigation will continue with charges pending. The owner of the facility, Vivian Singer, 47, of Kerwood currently faces 11 counts of animal cruelty under the Criminal Code of Canada following the removal of 18 animals, including one lion, eight dogs, six cats, two cockatoos and one turtle, from the same property in November, 2006. Charges include eight counts for failing to provide suitable and adequate food, water, care and medical attention to eight dogs and one lion; two counts for failing to provide suitable and adequate care to six cats and two cockatoos; and one count for failing to provide medical attention to three cats. Singer is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice, London, on May 31, 2007.
"This is a perfect example of why we need passage of legislation such as Liberal MPP David Zimmer's Private Members Bill - Bill 154, The Regulation of Zoos Act," says Hugh Coghill, Ontario SPCA Acting Chief Inspector. "We see animals living in horrible conditions, but without regulations for the standard of care for the animals in these types of facilities, our hands are tied until the situation deteriorates to what we are seeing with these animals being removed today."
Case UpdatesJust the suggestion former animal sanctuary owner Vivian Singer would be banned from owning pets had her holding her face in her hands.
For the next five years, as part of her sentence for cruelty to animals, Singer, 50, can't have any pets and must find homes for the three dogs and three birds that live with her.
"I feel a tremendous amount of guilt," she told Justice John Skowronski yesterday. "It would be a horrendous shock to the animals to be moved."
The condition was on top of the 60-day sentence to be served on weekends and three years' probation for the neglect of dogs, cats, an African lion cub, birds, wolves, ponies, goats and other animals at the Kerwood Wolf Education Centre two years ago.
A group from Friends of Captive Animals had a small demonstration outside the courthouse yesterday morning.
Singer, a petite, bleached blond wearing heavy makeup, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of animal cruelty stemming from two investigations at the property in November 2006 and March 2007.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the OPP were overcome by the smell of feces and urine inside the home in Adelaide Metcalfe and were shocked to find starving, neglected animals there.
She no longer works with animals, but has a job as an exotic masseuse. | Source: London Free Press - June 6, 2009
Update posted on Jun 6, 2009 - 10:39PM |
When investigators opened the door to Vivian Singer's Kerwood-area home, the smell of feces and ammonia almost knocked them over.
Inside were dogs, cats, birds and an African lion cub, all in various states of neglect with little food or water.
More animals were outside and they, too, were deep in feces and with scant food and water.
The scene was described recently in court after Singer, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of cruelty to animals.
"Guilty," the petite bleached blond said after the charges were read.
Assistant Crown attorney Adam Campbell told Justice John Skowronski while the charges referred to eight dogs and two ponies, many animals was found in distress.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, along with an OPP identification officer, began their search of Singer's farm, known as Kerwood Wolf Education Centre, in Adelaide Metcalfe on Nov. 22, 2006.
Inside the house, along with the smell, investigators saw four dogs. Two were loose in the house and the others were in crates. One pit bull in a crate was "emaciated and his hips and ribs could be seen," Campbell said.
The dog was standing in urine and feces.
Upstairs, the ammonia smell was worse. At the top of the stairs were six litter boxes that hadn't been cleaned.
In a bedroom, there were three cats and a Yorkie dog with fur missing. There was also an empty bag of cat food.
In the office, investigators found an African lion cub in a small enclosure.
Outside the house, in a smelly garbage bag that had fur and fluid coming out of a hole, investigators found a dead Yorkie and a dead kitten that was partially decapitated. Another dead dog was found on top of a burn pile.
Investigators saw many wolves, dog hybrids and coyotes. There was feces, no bedding and little water.
All the indoor animals -- 18 of them -- were ordered removed.
Three cats were euthanized.
When the SPCA returned to Singer's home a few months later, it seemed not much had changed.
In September 2007, all remaining livestock -- 20 animals -- was removed, including fowl, goats, a pony, a donkey and a deer.
Skowronski ordered a pre-sentence report. Singer is to be sentenced June 5. | Source: London Free Press - April 13, 2009
Update posted on Apr 13, 2009 - 9:48AM |
A local woman already charged with several counts of animal cruelty now faces a dozen more in what animal-protection workers called a brutal case of neglect.
Inspectors with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals swooped down last November on a Kerwood property, west of London, seizing 18 animals including a lion and eight dogs.
But they returned in March and took another 28 animals -- 12 of which were "skin and bone" wolves -- and launched the second probe that ended in the 12 new charges last week.
"The wolves . . . had to be tranquilized for their safety and ours," said OSPCA inspector Darren Grandel. "(But) they were so skin and bone . . . we were very concerned that a small amount of tranquilizer might kill one of them.
"It was definitely one of the worst cases many of us have ever seen."
But a lack of resources for the OSPCA, whose inspectors can charge people under the Criminal Code, slowed the second investigation to a crawl, Grandel said. It took six months for charges to be laid.
The two separate raids resulted in 23 charges in total:
- There were 28 animals seized last November and 11 charges laid against Vivian Singer of Kerwood, including eight counts of failing to provide food and care to eight dogs and one lion. Two cats were euthanized.
- Singer, 47, is now charged with another 12 counts of animal cruelty involving a dozen wolves, four coyotes, two foxes and a donkey.
Attempts to reach Singer were unsuccessful yesterday. She has appeared on television as a wildlife expert in the past and as recently as 2004 described herself as the executive director of the Kerwood Wolf Education Centre.
She is slated to appear in London court on Dec. 13, the OSPCA said.
In a statement, OSPCA official Rebecca Tanti pointed to the latest raid as an example of why Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced he will spend $100,000 to allow the organization to start a "zoo protection plan" in Ontario.
"Without regulations for the standard of care for the animals in these types of facilities, our hands are tied until the situation deteriorates to the point that the animals' lives are in jeopardy," Tanti said. | Source: London Free Press - Sept 17, 2007
Update posted on Sep 17, 2007 - 10:34PM |
References- OSPCA - March 16, 2007
- CityNews - March 17, 2007
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