Ontario’s little-known team of taxpayer-funded animal cruelty investigators recently issued its first-ever press release, years after its 2020 launch.
This small but significant step toward increased transparency comes after sustained pressure from the Canadian Press – as well as animal rights groups and opposition politicians – for animal welfare services to open up publicly about their years-long investigation into Marineland.
Earlier this month, the organization under the Ministry of the Solicitor General released a brief statement on the deaths of five dogs and the “distress” of 24 others. He said he laid 96 charges against a Hamilton woman.
Chief Animal Welfare Inspector Melanie Milczynski didn’t share much else about the case, but said its importance, as well as questions from residents about the state’s investigation. organization, had played a role in publishing the accusations.
But Milczynski admitted that animal welfare services have been criticized for being more open about their work.
“It’s part of a broader communications strategy where we’re looking to be a little more proactive in telling our story and sharing the work that we’re doing,” Milczynski said in a recent interview.
“One of the things we hear a lot is that there is an interest for animal welfare services to increase transparency in the work that we do. »
Last month, Animal Welfare Services spoke publicly for the first time about its investigation into Marineland, the besieged tourist attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Milczynski made herself available for an interview for the first time. No previous chief animal welfare inspector had spoken to journalists and until then, the government had repeatedly refused interview requests from The Canadian Press.
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Provincial inspectors have visited the park more than 200 times since 2020, Milczynski said in November.
Since the end of 2019, 17 belugas have died at Marineland, including five last year.
Milczynski said last month that the park’s water had been brought up to standard, but she believed previous water problems had nothing to do with marine mammal deaths – although the province said in 2021 that all marine mammals in the park were in distress due to poor water.
Marineland has previously stated that it takes good care of its animals and that animal deaths are part of the cycle of life. Last month, he did not respond to questions about the animal deaths, but responded to inquiries from The Canadian Press by accusing his journalism of being motivated by “the personal beliefs and activism of his reporter on animal rights.
In that first interview a few weeks ago, Milczynski said his organization would consider increasing its transparency.
Its predecessor, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, issued numerous press releases detailing the initiation of investigations, updates on the care of animals involved in its investigations, and announcements upon filing of accusations.
The OSPCA abdicated its role enforcing animal cruelty laws in 2019, citing a court ruling that the government erred in giving the private organization police powers without also imposing standards accountability and transparency.
The Court of Appeals later overturned the lower court’s decision, but the OSPCA was then out of the enforcement game.
Sylvia Jones, then Minister of Community Safety, promised that a more open and transparent organization would take its place.
But for nearly five years, Animal Protection Services – through a department spokesperson – proactively didn’t release anything. If reporters found out the agency was investigating something, it would answer questions on a case-by-case basis.
For example, in early 2023, the organization quietly accused Marineland of its treatment of three young black bears.
But he did not publicly acknowledge anything until The Canadian Press contacted the department for confirmation after receiving a tip that the charges had been laid.
Marineland was ultimately convicted under Ontario’s animal cruelty laws earlier this year. The bears were found to have been living in cramped quarters for months, with little access to water and climbing structures. The park was ordered to pay $85,000 in fines and restitution.
It was only last September that Animal Protection Services released a public annual report for the first time.
The document states that last year its 24/7 call center received approximately 40,000 calls and its team conducted more than 22,000 inspections and investigations. Inspectors removed nearly 3,000 distressed or seized animals as evidence. The organization issued nearly 3,500 orders and laid 296 charges.
In the recent interview, Milczynski pledged to release more information to the public, especially when charges are filed or when there are updates on high-profile cases such as the Marineland investigation.
“If there is a case that is of high interest or is related to public safety or other matters where it would be helpful to be more communicative in a timely manner, then we can send communications of the same way simply to let people know that we “We are aware of the situation and we are actively considering it,” Milczynski said.
© 2024 The Canadian Press