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Case #13559 Rating: 2.3 out of 5
Puppy mill - 166 dogs seized
Bancroft, ON (CA)Incident Date: Wednesday, Apr 2, 2008
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendant/Suspect: John Edwards
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Provincial offence charges are pending in a suspected puppy mill case involving a Bancroft-area resident.
Authorities seized 166 dogs of various mixed small breeds, including poodles, pekinese, terriers and beagles during a raid at a property on April 2.
The Ontario SPCA has been receiving complaints regarding this resident for 12 years. During that time, many orders have been issued and the resident has complied. Some animals have been seized over the years, but returned as a result of compliance.
The Ontario SPCA executed the search warrant in the company of a veterinarian and the OPP.
Officials say the animals were found to be in very poor condition, some suffering from dehydration, anemia, lethargy and parasites. Some required immediate medical intervention and were removed to a local veterinary clinic for treatment. Additional medical tests are being performed. The facility also lacked proper ventilation and had extremely poor sanitation. The investigative team was unable to enter the facility without proper protection due to the lack of ventilation. The animals were also wading in liquid feces.
The animals have placed at 50 shelters across the province, including York Region, Napanee, Brockville, Bellville, Renfrew, Kingston, and St Catharines.
Case UpdatesBancroft resident John Edwards recently pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to provide proper veterinary care for 166 dogs that were being bred for sale in his local barn.
After his illegal puppy mill was evacuated on April 2 of this year, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) immediately put Edwards' operation under investigation. Senior Inspector Connie Mallory says that the conditions found within the compound at Edwards' Kennels were atrocious, leaving a lasting impact on the dogs that occupied the area.
"The animals that were released from the compound were suffering from a number of different serious ailments as a result of bad air circulation and a lack of attention paid to the animals," says Mallory.
The puppies suffered from a wide variety of ailments including eye infections, ulcers, dehydration, anemia, diarrhea and ear conditions. One puppy eventually passing away due to an internal parasite that was caused by the lack of attention paid to the animals, which could have been contracted by any of the dogs in the compound.
"It was definitely an extreme case," says Mallory.
"It was definitely important that something was done and that the dogs were freed from that environment."
As a result, Edwards has been banned for life from breeding any animals and is limited to having no more than three adult dogs on his premises. In addition, under the Ontario SPCA Act, the SPCA has been granted permission to conduct two unannounced visits per year of the Bancroft property for the remainder of his life as a result of these charges. No fines or jail time were included in the official final sentence.
Mallory says that this marks the end of a case that was under close watch of the Ontario SPCA. For twelve years, the organization has monitored the Edwards' residence after receiving a number of complaints from people in the Bancroft community.
"We had visited the property numerous times with orders of compliance to SPCA regulations, and this was the one time we had the jurisdiction to act accordingly to the situation," says Mallory.
Puppy mills have been something that Ontario SPCA has been keeping a close watch on recently. Mallory says that many of the issues with these compounds is that there is little care provided for each dog due to the reasons the owner is breeding the puppies.
"They are just breeding the puppies for profit, selling the dogs to pet stores all over Ontario for anyone to purchase," explains Mallory.
The issue is that there is a growing market for this kind of operation, as pet stores begin to profit more and more on the impulse purchasing of dogs all over. Mallory says that there needs to be more research done before bringing a pet into a home that is not regularly looked at.
"Always ask the breeder about the mother and father of the puppy, if you don't ask then you are not getting to see what conditions the dog has been raised in which can lead to future issues," says Mallory.
As for the dogs that were saved from the kennel, each of them have been treated and put up for adoption to find good homes. | Source: Bancroft This week - Aug 13, 2008
Update posted on Aug 13, 2008 - 11:31PM |
Provincial offence charges are pending in a suspected puppy mill case, involving Edwards' Kennels, where 166 dogs of various mixed small breeds were seized during a raid on April 2.
The raid began at 10 a.m as a result of an ongoing animal welfare investigation. Owner of the kennel John Edwards said the search warrant was unfair.
"It is more than unfair, it is ridiculous," he said.
"Every dog in that house is in perfect condition."
According to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, inspection of the residence revealed the animals living in very poor condition, some suffering from dehydration, anemia, lethargy and parasites. Some required immediate medical intervention. The facility also lacked proper ventilation and had extremely poor sanitation. The investigative team was unable to enter the facility without proper protection due to the lack of ventilation. The animals were also wading in liquid feces.
Many of the displaced animals are now in York Region, Napanee, Brockville, Belleville, Renfrew, Kingston, St Catharines and others.
When asked about the quality of the kennel, Edwards said the weather was to blame, and that the rain and melting snow caused a large amount of water to wash all the filth and make the kennel look poor. He also went on to mention that he has been gradually cleaning up, getting his animal's hair cut, nails trimmed and groomed on a regular basis.
As a result of the raid, Edwards says he had to terminate the employment of his only female employee.
"I had to phone her to tell her that her job was finished."
According to a press release sent out by the OSPCA, they have been receiving complaints for the past 12 years about Edwards. This raid marks the second incident this year for Edwards' Kennels. He was also investigated last June.
Kristin Williams, spokesperson for the OSPCA, says current OSPCA laws did not allow them to lay charges against him the first time.
"The last time his place was raided, we had to just give him orders of compliance to clean up, and he complied with those orders," she said.
Once he complied, the OSPCA returned many of his animals.
Now the time for ordering compliance is over.
"This time, we have enough evidence to charge him."
If charges fall, it will be under the OSPCA's Standards for Care for Keeping Cats or Dogs for Breeding or Sale, the only offense under their act. If convicted, he may face up to two years in jail and a fine of $60,000.
"I suspect charges will be put out shortly."
Connie Mallory, senior inspector for the OSPCA, says any place where dogs live and breed in poor conditions counts as a puppy mill. She went on to say that most breeders try and improve a specific type of dog by genetic conditioning, whereas a puppy mill breeds indiscriminately and in mass numbers, with the only purpose of making a profit.
On April 3, the federal government announced proposed changes to the province's animal cruelty legislation. Several areas include: making it a provincial offence to cause distress to an animal; stiffer penalties, which include jail terms, fines and lifetime bans on animal ownership; inspection rights at facilities where animals are kept for sale or exhibit; banning animal fighting; and protecting veterinarians from liability when reporting allegations of cruelty.
"Clearly, this new bill is a step in the right direction," said Williams.
To date, The OSPCA Act has not had serious changes for almost 90 years.
"We are pleased that the government has recognized the need to modernize and toughen animal cruelty laws and create stiffer penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty," said Kate MacDonald, CEO for the OSPCA.
"The government has demonstrated that they recognize the OSPCA as the leading animal welfare organization in the province."
No word yet regarding the outcome of the proposed changes in legislation.
To report animal cruelty, contact the OSPCA at 1-888-668-7722. | Source: Bancroft This Week - April 10, 2008
Update posted on Apr 10, 2008 - 12:07PM |
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