Happy Gail Benoit Month!

 Her long held prohibition on owning, selling or otherwise having anything to do with animals is over in January 2022!

So she will be allowed to go back and do whatever she wants again with animals - even travel down to the States and get dogs like every other rescue/dog broker is currently doing - we’ll see what happens with that but she’d be absolutely stupid to not buy a van and start bringing up dogs from the States and do exactly what all the other dog brokers are currently doing - so welcome to 2022 Ms Benoit - 

it’s going to be a good year for you I’d imagine!

Watch out for the website http://Gailbenoit.ca - there’s currently nothing there but it will be retooled and will be talking about all the dog brokers / rescues that have been started since Ms Benoit disappeared- dog brokers like oops Puppies and the NS SPCA and other importing rescues - it will be a must read - so stay tuned 

an update to my previous post on the Nova Scotia SPCA

 Well they did it - In late September I wrote a post critical about the Nova Scotia SPCA - that they had begun importing dogs from the United States - that they had seen other groups importing dogs and they just could not resist all the money being made off the backs of dogs from the USA and the easy money they created and the absolute un ending treadmill that has been created down there - the un ending amount of dogs available to come up here - the free money that's been created - what the NS SPCA calls "nice dogs at a reasonable price" that they can now give the people of Nova Scotia - because we've been so successful with the no kill paradigm here that revenue stream has really dried up for them so they need to try something new - and that new thing is American dogs.  In my previous post I laid it out.

But as I feared the current management didn't like that - if you scroll to the top of this blog in a non mobile version you'll see a search box and if you type in "SPCA" you'll see page after page after page of posts on this blog where I talk about the SPCA - in all previous iterations of management and board for the SPCA they have never had a problem with me talking about them and also volunteering with them - only this current management has gotten more sour and more sour over time - until now when I have once again - been turfed - and in a very negative way - saying that I've been aggressive and actually threatened to punch people in the face - yet refuse to provide me with an proof of such violence.

So as a final fuck you to them - I have sent the person I would have "reported to" a final letter and what you see below is the letter.

I have decided to leave the world of animal advocacy - the world of animal advocacy does not want me anymore - obviously - so after this post I am just going to become a regular dog owner - I am too old and too sick to be told the things that I have been accused of this last week. I have asked a couple people if I'm crazy - seemingly just a simple question - and no one will tell me I'm not crazy - so obviously I am crazy - not an exteral thing I want to manifest.

So I'm withdrawing from society henceforth.

And here's the letter.  Goodbye

Courtney, 

 This is the last missive I am going to be sending your organization, I’m not into self flagellation but some points need to be cleared up – so here we go. 

 I find my dismissal from the auspices from the NS SPCA (again) to be highly problematic – considering I have been in your good graces for a long time – receiving a “Golden Paw” award and glowing cards from you in particular in recent years – yet as soon as I wrote a blog post that your management doesn’t like – within a matter of a couple weeks – I’m removed from the organization because I’m a violent person who seemingly isn’t fit to be around other humans. 

So let’s break it down. 

June 17, 2021 – Incident with Courtney Barber – you said that I verbally abused you – screaming and yelling at you and pushing my body into you. You know of course that there was more than you and me in the room so other people than you can attest to what went on in the room that afternoon. 

We were having a conversation about you firing Nancy Wentzell – and I was not the only person involved in that conversation – there were other people involved – and not the only one talking that animatedly – and as well – you were standing on one side of one of the sorting tables and I was standing on the other side – there was no time that I was “pushing my body into you” – that is ludicrous – and Courtney – to tack that on – I don’t know what you’re trying to do with that – is just beyond – the other people in the room will back me up - I’ve talked to them – I was in no way physically aggressive to you 

September 19, 2021 – multiple staff and volunteers witnessed me threatening to punch another volunteer in the face and continue to express that threat on the thrift store sales floor – after this incident the thrift store volunteer coordinators sat down with me to discuss my behaviour 

 Now this is where you are just going too far – and if you are going this far with me – someone who has a public persona – someone who could go public and really embarrass you – what are you doing to people who have no way to fight back? I mean, this one is truly disgusting Courtney. So September 18th – a Saturday – I called in sick – but September 19th – a Sunday – I went in – obviously it must have been short because Sundays are a day I just do not come in for – so you saying that there were 3 volunteers on the floor on that day is a bold faced lie just right there – there wouldn’t be 3 volunteers to be out on the floor on a Sunday afternoon to never come back – sorry – you got caught in your lie right there but I’ll continue on. 

I’ll tell you what happened on that Sunday, and what happened subsequently – you probably know what happened – but I’m just putting it out there for my own satisfaction because it’s actually the truth, so here it is. I arrived for the afternoon shift – but it’s a 2-4 shift since on the weekends the store closes at 4 so most people come in at 12 to make the shift worthwhile – and that’s what I did – arrive at 12 – and working the back that morning was the student Kira and a lady by the name of Charlene – I don’t know what her last name was – I’d never met her before – but I came in and did my normal stuff checking things out – and someone had piled 3 cardboard boxes on top of the garbage can. 

Why would someone do that? Why wouldn’t they just break down the boxes and put them in the garbage bin – which is what someone coming in behind them would have to do? Charlene said she didn’t do it “Because of her back” – she seemed to have no problem lifting heavy boxes and bags out of the donation bins and moving them over to the donation sorting tables – and I pointed that out to her. She seemed to become agitated by that. I was certainly agitated and instead of continuing to be agitated I left the store until my scheduled start time of 2 pm. I went down to the waterfront that’s close to the store- it’s beautiful down there – you should go there – or don’t. I don’t care. 

So that was my first encounter with Charlene – my 2nd encounter with her was another time I came in for an afternoon shift but I didn’t even notice her because I guess she left as soon as she saw me and I was fine with that because I figure if someone has a problem with me – that’s their problem – not my problem – so if she wants to leave – that’s perfect. 

And my 3rd interaction was cut off at the pass by you – when you sent out an email to me just before my shift – meant for just me. It was sent late Saturday afternoon – “Just a reminder for all volunteers to adhere to the scheduled start times of your shift on the Signup Genius. Thank you for all your help and for volunteering at the Store. Ian, Gary and Courtney” – so that was a pretty clear message to me that I was not allowed to come any earlier than 2pm to the Donna Kristine and Charlene show at the thrift store – so I didn’t. So that was the end of the Charlene problem I thought – especially once I heard that she’d gone south for 6 months – but I guess I am still in trouble over Charlene – for invisible lying problems now – things that I actually did not do – for problems that are verifiably proven that I did not do – unless you can provide me with proof – and you refuse to provide me with any proof – I did not do any of these things you are accusing me – I can prove that I did not do these things – you cannot prove that I did these things. 

November 28th, 2021 I became angry when a volunteer, who came into help as she was aware the store was short on helping hands forgot to put her name in the volunteer schedule and brought her dog. I was pushing past this volunteer, making them feel unsafe and uncomfortable. I then began to spray a fragrance after being told that the volunteer in question was allergic. 

Where do I begin with this? I have only had two interactions with Monie – the first was a Monday and the second was this Sunday – both times she had neglected to sign in with the Sign in Genius so I had no way to know that she was going to be there – so how am I to know that someone who hates me is going to be there? If I had known Monie was going to be there – I would have of course NOT signed up to be there – I would have of course stayed at home and let her come in with her dog and let her have a lovely morning but she did not do that – there are obviously rules for everyone else and rules for me – because you can clearly see she broke two rules this Sunday morning – because you see an email was sent to me on Saturday September 25, 2021 saying that I’m only allowed to come in for my scheduled shifts – and early on in the stores life – I was told that we were NOT allowed to bring dogs with us when we volunteered – this came up because I was thinking about starting to train one of my dogs as a service dog – and you were thinking this might not be possible – and you eventually had to give in and let me bring him with me – I eventually failed my dog as a service dog for reasons I won’t get into – but it was very clear we are not allowed to bring our dogs with us when we volunteer – and last Sunday – here was Monie – a person who I do not get along with – showing up for a shift- she did not sign up for – WITH A DOG. Of course I was agitated –who would not be agitated by that? 

I was going to leave- but I am a good volunteer – there were a lot of donations – we were behind and an extra hand was needed – so I stayed. We got some room spray in – I sprayed one little spray to see what it smelled like – Monie had to walk right by me to smell it – she COULD NOT SMELL IT from where she was standing at – she could only smell it when she walked past my station. I did not know Monie’s name she was so sullen – the suggestion that I had some prior knowledge of her allergy situation is so ludicrous it borders on the insane – “that the volunteer was allergic” – I mean, really. So Monie left – I Stayed until the end of my shift – so who’s the good volunteer? 

And to the “counselling session” I was given by Gary and Ian to “discuss my behaviour” – what they literally said to me – and it was just Gary – not Ian – only Gary talked to me – Ian was not involved at all – he said “you know, some people just don’t get along – and we have to honour that” – and I said I agree with that – and he said to not come in on shifts that you know you don’t get along with people – and I said I wouldn’t – and that was that – that was the extent of the counselling session – so if you think he was being clear with me about me threatening to punch other volunteers? That did not happen – especially since I DID NOT threaten to punch any volunteers – at any time – ever in my life. Ever – and you know it and so does Gary and so does Ian and so does Elizabeth and Karen and So does Sandra. 

You have to realize that you are dismissing me for the exact same reasons that the corrupt board dismissed me in 2008, right? “Failure to act in a manner consistent with the core values of our organization”. In 2008 the exact words were “have become an adversary of the Society” – and at that time it was voted on by the board – and it was unanimous – was my ouster this time voted on by the board or just you guys? Like how are things decided nowadays? 

That would be an interesting question to answer – one I’m sure I won’t get an answer for - I mention somewhere else that I wanted proof for the allegations against me – and Elizabeth refused to supply any to me – HER exact words were “I can think of no legal grounds upon which we would be compelled to give them to you. What you are requesting includes notes from statements given by other people and those people have a right to have their privacy protected while the SPCA has the right to control access to its own internal file materials”. What a load of bullshit is that, eh? 

Elizabeth right there is compelling me to sue her for the reports – because you are a private agency – if you were a government agency I could do a FOIPOP on you for the reports – but since you are a private company, essentially – there’s nothing I can do – and I’m sure you have a smile on your face as you’re reading this. 

That’s why I think you should have your designation either changed to a business – and you should start paying taxes – because you seek out animal control contracts throughout the province to generate income – or you should become a government agency and finally actually become a humane organization and not have any animal control contracts at all – and also be subject to FOIPOP – and finally be accountable for what you do behind closed doors – because your organization really seems to be teetering on the edge of how you were back in 2008 – if you are treating humans as badly as I’ve witnessed you doing in the last couple years – and it’s not just me – it’s many people – I worry about the animals - in 2008 you were killing animals for pleasure - what is happening behind closed doors now. 

In my meeting with you Sandra asked me why I volunteered with the SPCA if I hated the organization so much – and I have to ask – where have I said anywhere anytime that I hate the SPCA? I have been involved with and volunteering with the SPCA since 2002 – almost 20 years – and Sandra said “So have we” – and the difference between you and me is – you are paid money for your involvement – I PAY MONEY for my involvement – and I have paid a lot of money at the store for my involvement – a minimum of $20 every shift I worked there + a $5 donation (and I have been there since the day the store opened)  – which you will not not receive – but I have loved the NS SPCA and that is why I have stayed involved – I have loved the mandate of the NS SPCA and that is why I have hated to see it sullied – when the management at the top was corrupt I worked hard to see them gone – I have a very high sense of conscience – when Ian was trying to price something and wasn’t using the stores pricing structure – I made him angry – which was probably another reason why I’m not longer at the store – but that is life I guess – you’ve got to pay for the salaries somehow I guess. 

And it was your failure as a manager that led to the tribalism between the Nancy and Donna crews – you totally abandoned the Dartmouth store – maybe the other stores needed more management direction – maybe the Dartmouth store was running well enough – but that left the store to run like it eventually did – into the tribalism that it did – and it’s not Nancy or Donna’s fault – it’s your fault – and you should take ownership for that – because you abandoned the store – there’s a lot to repair for that – just because Nancy is gone (Donna is back so I can’t say she’s gone too) – doesn’t mean that the tribalism is gone – and just because I’m gone doesn’t mean the cattiness and meanness of the ladies who agitated me is going to be gone either – Bonie et al are all still there. 

I’ve seen Gary being very mean to Ian – that doesn’t lead to a nice management structure – but it’s pretty de rigueur for the Nova Scotia SPCA I guess – Gary will work out perfectly long term. He might even move up the ladder. To where I have no idea. 

Up until now I didn’t think you had it in you to do something this deep down and dirty – I always thought of Sandra as being the woman who loved pit bulls and brought them in from Ontario and Quebec to save them, I thought of Karen as being the woman who nursed Shadow the great dane back to health from the edge of death – but I guess I was wrong 

I am just so confused because I know you are lying – how do you feel like you are allowed to lie and you’re able to get away with it – I guess you are allowed to get away with it – but this letter is my little attempt to fight back – it won’t go anywhere – this is just my little stab back at you – my little holler into the wilderness – I hope it keeps you up a bit at night.

I guess it’s because the cruelty has become the point – and when that happens at the top of any organization – there is a problem – I’m too sick and old to fight at this point – which is good for you – I don’t know what it’s going to take at this point to make necessary changes – but it won’t be me who’s going to do them – so do what you like with an organization that one time was venerated – with the current people running it – it is anything but. 

And to do what you all did just before Christmas too. Merry fucking Christmas to you too. 

 

And ps – this is now my signature scent whenever I leave the house – if you’re ever looking for a present for me in the future – it’s “Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon” scent – it’s awesome :) 

 Joan Sinden

Making money off the back of dogs is wrong - no matter who is doing it

Back in 2009 Nathan Winograd wrote a book that changed my life - it was called "Redemption" and it was about the "no kill revolution" and it was all about the idea that animals did not need to die in shelters - whether the shelter was a private shelter or an animal control operation or wherever -the only reason why animals were killed in shelters was because there was no will to save them. I started writing blog posts about the theory - I don't know if it brushed off on the animal community in Nova Scotia or not - but the Nova Scotia SPCA publicly became a no kill organization sometime afterward - and I was happy about that. There are some tenets to the no kill philosophy when it comes to shelters - they have to save at least 90% of the animals that come through the doors - they can't kill any animals that are healthy and medically savable - the only animals that are killed are done so for compassionate reasons or for behavioural reasons and all other animals - are adopted out. And how is that done?

Through several ways 

1. All of the things listed to the left;

2. Stop the killing; 

3. Moving your shelter offsite - having adoption drives at local public places offsite to the shelter - people tend to be intimidated by sterile shelter environments - so take the animals offsite to pleasant places where the animals can shine; 

4. simplify the adoption process - not have 4 page adoption applications and make the process more streamlined; 

So - saying all of this - the Nova  Scotia SPCA has been doing this very successfully for many years and I've been so proud of them for a long time because of that - they have made Nova Scotia into mostly a no kill province - we've had some animal control departments that were a hold out in not being no kill - but generally - we - a population of 971,375 (in 2019) - have basically stopped killing our rescue animals - and that is huge.

And through the work of Spay Day and Linda Felix - we have even got in control with a lot of feral and homeless cat populations - at least in the HRM- and hopefully it will spread to the rest of Nova Scotia in the coming years - but there have been quite a few times where the cages at the SPCA when it comes to cats - have also been empty - we are getting very lucky here.

But what we are starting to face - is what the rest of North America is facing - and that is animals being imported from other parts of North America - and the world - dogs and cats coming in from places that do not have a control on their population of animals - and a lot of times thosse animals have either health or behavioural problems - and from here on I'm only going to talk about dogs.

In 2017  I wrote a very long blog post about this subject which I hope you'll go back and read - because it touches a lot of topics I"m not going to cover again - it goes over the history of importing dogs to the Maritimes, what has happened, and what the rules are for bringing dogs into Canada.

Since 2017 - not one thing has changed - not one thing - except it's gotten 1000% worse - more people are doing it - and one big group has been added to the group and is the reason for me writing this post - because really - it just shows - it's gone too far.

The Nova Scotia SPCA has begun importing dogs from the USA.  Because I guess the revenue stream that they are getting currently from what they are getting now from the thrift stores, from their 50/50's, from their Christmas craft sales at the malls, from the items they sell on kijiji from the more expensive things that people donate to the thrift stores, from the people of Nova Scotia who donate to the Nova Scotia SPCA on behalf of the animals here in Nova Scotia -- from the money they receive from the government of Nova Scotia for the care and comfort for the animals, from the animal control contracts that they have throughout the province - I guess none of that is enough - they need to start driving down to the USA and getting dogs - and eventually cats as well - and bringing them back here to adopt them out to us here  - because they just want  to supply us with a good and healthy product - done the right way - see below screenshots.

So this facebook post came out at the end of August - on International Dog Day - announcing that the Nova Scotia SPCA was going to be starting to import dogs from the United States - it was a real bad secret - before the pandemic even we knew this was going to be happening - scuttlebutt was the SPCA had gotten a $100,000 grant from Pet Valu and they had spent it on a completely tricked out van to start importing animals from the States but it'd been put off by the pandemic and it'd been used for storing dog food and nothing but.

So here was confirmation that the SPCA had started to do what absolutely almost every rescue in Nova Scotia also does - which is bring in animals from the USA.

Scroll down for  more commentary....

So here we have much esteemed and loved local veterinarian asking if the SPCA has worked the NSVMA on this project - and I am going to say that - no - the SPCA has not consulted with the NSVMA on this project based on their answer - and I'm going to ask you to scroll down a little further for my commentary on their answer....  (I'm not going to get into the health challenges of imported dogs - I already wrote about that in my 2017 blog post - it's awaful, let me tell you)

Well now - here we are now at the brass tacks of the whole thing, aren't we?  We are at the meat of the whole thing.

"the demand in Nova Scotia is there, is only going to create a breeding problem in Nova Scotia or deprive families from the opportunity to enjoy a pet".

When I read that - I was like - there - they said the quiet part out loud, didn't they - they fucking said it right out loud.  Jesus Christ.  How are the Nova  Scotia SPCA any different than Gail Benoit? Tell me - how are they any different?

They are in that paragraph both admitting to making money off the back of animals - and that is wrong - it doesn't matter who you are - whether you are Gail Benoit, whether you are Oops Puppies, whether you are Second Chance Animal Rescue, or Fly with Me - all  of these groups should NOT be talked about in the same sentence as the Nova Scotia SPCA - but now they are.

This is why the NS SPCA is saying that they are doing it - to show the other organizations how to do it correctly - BULLSHIT - they are doing it because the egregious amounts of cash being made by the other groups and they want in on it.

For example - one group is bringing more than 50 dogs up from Texas EVERY MONTH at $660 a dog - it costs nothing to spay and neuter a dog in Texas - like ten bucks - so the profit - they sleep in the vans - is enormous - $660 x 50 = $33,000 Canadian - in ONE trip if all the dogs live to tell the tail = because some of the dogs don't - and who's going to know?  When I talk to people nobody seems to do the math - and multiply that $33,000 x 12 - and all of these groups are constantly doing fund raising - one of them has a fund raiser that is  "give us $1 because it's Friday"- that's the fundraiser.

So I don't know what the SPCA can show these groups - I think the SPCA has a lot ot learn from these people actually.

But what is getting lost in this equation?

The ANIMALS and what's best for them.

I'd like to take you back up to the no kill equation - because there's something important there - and it's the fact that it isn't being done in any place that these animals are being imported FROM.  Not at all - like not at all.

And that is why I have a problem today - and why I've had a problem with importing animals since day one.

If shelters were doing something to try and actually do something to help animals in their own community - other than shipping them off to communities around North America - then I might have a different opinion.

But I have never seen any kind of advocacy done on the part of Texas shelters in relation to animals being imported to Nova Scotia.  Other than saying - here's a bunch of dogs- have at them.

They aren't doing anything in their community about spay and neuter- ie low cost spay and neuter, community adoption programs - and one that I think is so important - pet retention programs - what can you do to keep pets in homes - it's my belief that a lot of the time the first home is the best home.

The NS SPCA says that they are taking animals from no kill shelters.  If that's the case- what's the point?  It really is a matter of commmerce then if you're taking animals from a no kill shelter if that's the case.

So what do I think at the end of this?  Nova Scotia might be a no kill province but Canada certainly isn't - 500,000 animals are killed every year - I had mentioned to the SPCA about dogs in Northern communities but they poo poo'd that - that is just too far for them - they suggested they could get me in contact with shelters who were closer that might be able to help if I wanted to advocate for that - so I just went - okay - to that -but actually - 400,000 of the animals are killed in Quebec - and that's definitely not too far away - Quebec is actually the puppy mill capital of NORTH AMERICA - so a lot of those dogs would be cute and cuddly I'd bet.

Send the van to Montreal - it's 13 hours straight through - I'll do it - it's a great drive - I love it.  Anyway - I'm kidding - but if you're going to sell dogs for money - get them from Montreal - several of the importing rescues are gettting them from Montreal now - the SPCA can maybe go that way too - show them how it's done Canadian style.

I am ending this by saying that I know I'm writing this at great peril - I know the powers that be at the SPCA will not be happy with me for writing this - they will be very unhappy.  I volunteer at one of the SPCA's thrift stores and that store is very important to my mental health.  I have put off this post for awhile, but I just couldn't put it off any longer.  It's too important.

The SPCA kicked me out in 2008 when the management was corrupt at the top and they were killing animals for spite.  In October 2008 when a  new board took over they held a press conference and gave me and the other people who had their memberships revoked back - and apologized to us all-  video of the press conference is in the blog post where I talked about the day - so I have some experience with negative personal experience with the SPCA having to do with blog posts - it doesn't stop me from doing what I think is right.

I think that places that have 30 million people - should be able to take care of their own problems - I know that is very harsh - I don't think that the Nova Scotia SPCA needs to become dog brokers on the same level as Gail Benoit supplying "nice pets" to the people of Nova Scotia - they are in the business of animal protection.  According to Wikipedia:

"The Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (Nova Scotia SPCA) is a not-for-profit charitable society organized under the Animal Protection Act of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.,  The Society is dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals and to the promotion of respect and humane care for animals. Its members are committed to providing humane leadership in animal advocacy, protection, education, and veterinary care."

Nowhere in there does it say they provide the people of Nova Scotia with nice pets for a reasonable price.  Sorry.

Update to Snoopy the dog's story - hopefully 2 of 3

So in early March there was an update to Snoopy the dog's story for those who weren't in the loop and it was a big one - unfortunately it wasn't a big enough one for Snoopy to make it back into his Dad's arms - so I am calling this update two of three - because Snoopy still needs to go home.

If you aren't familiar with Snoopy's story here is a link to my first post about him

What I'm going to do is basically just copy and past what Snoopy's "uncle" has written - the brother of Snoopy's Dad has been posting what has been going on - and that's who I'm talking about - Robert Smaggus - he has really been taking this on for his brother, which I think is fabulous.  I have not met either of these men in person - covid after all - but these men's determination to get this little dog back shows their love for this little dog - I have complete faith - not only because the dog is 10 years old and they were able to keep him alive for 10 years - not easy in today's world - and all the work that they've done henceforth to try and get him back from what has shown us as what is really quite an evil realtor world.

PEOPLE - DO NOT TRUST ANY REALTOR AROUND YOUR HOUSE, YOUR CHILDREN, OR YOUR ANIMALS - this is what this story should teach each and every one of us

So on to the update

On March 11, 2021 Robert Smaggus posted the following to facebook:

Dear Team, Snoopy: Time for the latest updates on this on going saga. 

For those of you following, my brother's dog, Snoopy, was illegally removed from his home by Century 21 Trident Realty agent Sarah Sullivan in May of last year. 

The police were involved, but didn't do anything about it. A complaint was filed with the NSREC, and Sarah was suspended and fined $2,500. 

In Sarah's official statement to the NSREC she stated, 

"On the morning of May 30th Nora Landry arrived to pick up the dog and take him to what I thought was a foster situation, but I was later informed that it was a lovely retired woman. . . " Her statement concludes with, "I am aware that Nora arranged for a home for the dog." 

Nora Landry is an Associate Broker/Sales Representative for Royal LePage Atlantic. The property that Snoopy was stolen from was listed with Royal LePage Atlantic, and Robert Scanlan was the listing agent. Matt Honsberger has been aware of this situation since September. It is documented in email. 

He has taken no action. On the weekend, Mike and I met with lawyer, Blair MacKinnon from Heritage House Law, and the woman that has Snoopy, Susan Hastey. Ms. Hastey cannot recall what rescue she dealt with, or if she signed any paperwork for Snoopy. She conceded that she did not pay for Snoopy and that she received him directly from Nora Landry. 

 Ms. Hastey is not willing to return Snoopy, and Blair MacKinnon has advocated on her behalf. This despite the fact that both know that Snoopy was stolen. What is worse is that Susan Hastey is a councillor (Hastey and Associates). She would be well aware of the damage caused to Mike and Snoopy. He owned the dog for 10 years. 

Marg Bowlen, the broker of record for Century 21 Trident Realty, has reached out. She has made multiple attempts to negotiate with Royal LePage Atlantic for Snoopy’s return. She has been unsuccessful. 

Her brokerage and agent have been vilified in the media while Nora Landry and Royal Lepage Atlantic have remained silent. Think about that when choosing a real estate company. 

This is the same broker that lost his liscence for a year for a series of trust fund moves (https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/.../royal-lepage.../). 

 Robert Scanlan was recently fined and suspended for 30 days related to signing a client's signature (https://nsrec.ns.ca/.../166-disciplinary-newsletter...). 

 If you Google Hastey and Royal LePage Atlantic, you'll find another potential connection to this stolen dog. What is it going to take for someone to do the right thing and return Snoopy? The initial police investigation didn't go anywhere because of a perceived conflict of interest with the initial officer and Sarah Sullivan. (Do your own research on that.). 

I am now forced to file a complaint with the Nova Scotia Barristers Society against Blair MacKinnon for his involvement in this. I'm going to escalate this matter to the Office of the Police Complaints Commission. 

 A dog is personal property under the law. The NSREC completed an investigation and determined that Snoopy was stolen. 

Perhaps an officer could go retrieve him. Snoopy is living at 338 Amesbury Gate if you care to look. Please share this post widely. Free Snoopy!

So now it's all pretty much out there isn't it? We know that Sarah Sullivan DID steal Snoopy - she has admitted it, she's been punished for it by the Nova Scotia Realtors Association and this isn't the first time she's been punished by the Realtors Association - and she lied to the Realtors Association over this case which makes this even more agregious - we also know that it was Nora Landry who she gave the dog to - which makes me so sad - because Nora was a friend of mine - and I lost her as a friend over this - I can't tell you how sad this makes me.  None of this had to happen.

So now we know that Snoopy is living in a condo complex on the corner of Larry Uteck and Amesbury Gate in Bedford and there's nothing we can do about and nothing Snoopy's owner seemingly can do about it because he and his brother are just too polite.

It has been suggested that a protest should happen outside the condo unit to know how unhappy the dog owners of the HRM are with this lady - with this "Susan Hastey" who currently has possession of Snoopy - who is currently in possession of a stolen dog - why is this happening?  I have no idea - that's why this is post 2 of this.

When will post 3 of 3 be written?  I have no idea - but I hope it's soon!

And please don't accuse me of doxxing this woman - that was done when the Realtors association came out with their decision and all this information was in it - public for all the world to see - I'm just sharing it here - also public for all the world to see :)

In January, 2021 the Chronicle Herald published a story about the case:

‘Where is Snoopy?’: Dartmouth Realtor suspended, fined for taking tenant's dog 

 A Dartmouth Realtor is in the doghouse with her regulatory body for taking a hound named Snoopy from a tenant in a home she was trying to sell. 

 The Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission suspended Sarah Sullivan of Century 21 Trident Realty Ltd. effective Jan. 16 until Feb. 15 for violating the province’s real estate laws. 

Sullivan has also been ordered to pay $2,500 in fines. 

 “The violations resulted from an investigation of a complaint from a member of the public. The complainant, who owned a dog, was a tenant of a property that was listed for sale. Ms. Sullivan viewed the property with a potential buyer,” said the decision from the commission. 

 “At a later date, Ms. Sullivan approached the complainant, and asked if they were interested in selling the dog, which they advised they were not. Ms. Sullivan offered to take the dog while they moved out of the property.” 

 Threatened to use inside info Sullivan took the dog and failed to return it, said the decision. 

 “In response to efforts by the complainant to have the dog returned, Ms. Sullivan inappropriately used or (threatened) to use information she acquired only as a result of her access to the property as a real estate licensee. 

When the matter was investigated, she provided false/misleading information to the investigator on several occasions.” 

 This isn’t the first time she has been in trouble with the regulatory body. “Ms. Sullivan had previously been disciplined in 2014 for providing false information to the commission during the course of an investigation.” 

'Dishonourable' conduct Sullivan’s actions hurt the profession as a whole, said the decision about taking the dog. “This conduct is dishonourable, unprofessional, harmful to the best interests of the public and to the reputation of the industry at large. 

The public must have confidence that when they provide access to their property to members of the profession, that their privacy will be respected and information shall be gathered, used and shared, only for reasons related to the trading in real estate. Further, it is a violation to provide false/misleading information to the commission.” 

 Sullivan, a mother of four, declined to comment when reached Monday by telephone. 

 “I am unfortunately not able to discuss or disclose my side of the story,” she said. 

 Brother still looking for dog 

A Dartmouth man named Robert Smaggus said in an email to The Chronicle Herald that the dog in question, named Snoopy, belonged to his brother. 

 “I have been looking for him since June 4, 2020,” Smaggus wrote. He said he complained about the missing dog to police, but was told it was a civil matter. He also noted in his email that he contacted Patricia Arab, the minister responsible for Service Nova Scotia, but was told she couldn’t intervene in the case. 

 “Where is the accountability?” Smaggus said. “Where is Snoopy?”

I am shutting down my Gail Benoit website

 I wrote my first blog post here about Gail Benoit in 2007 - so 14 years ago and I started the website shortly afterward.  It always bothered me that when you googled her name nothing bad came up about her so if people were doing their due diligence and trying to find out if she was selling healthy puppies - they didn't have any way to find out because there was nothing out there about her.

I have always loved the internet for certain things and one of those things is that everyone has an equal access to technology if they choose to take advantage of it.  When I had my very first iteration of my first website - it was on Geocities - anyone remember that?  And it was pictures of my dogs Charlie and Leonard playing around Halifax and it was called "Charlie and Leonard like to play" but it had a couple extra pages on it and one of those pages was dedicated to a man named Peter Duffy. Remember him?

He was a columnist at the Chronicle Herald and he hated dogs - and specifically he hated pit bulls - and every time he wrote a column laying out his very dangerous hate for the species I love more than any human - I would put my letter and his column on that page - most of my letters did get published in the paper as well - I have a good result when I write letters which makes me happy :) - but the fabulous thing about the internet - even back at the very beginning is that it was called the "web" is that it is constantly indexed - constantly scrawled - so if anyone ever tried to google Peter Duffy - what happened?

My little page would come up in the search results - and usually it came up in the top 10 results even - so everyone became aware that Peter Duffy hated dogs - and that made me happy.

So I was aware that it was important for there to be a web presence in 2007 for Gail Benoit - she had acknowledged in court under oath that she had sold more than 13,000 puppies and she had no plans to stop - and I had the technology and knowledge to help people make some decisions - and that's what I did.

NOTE HERE - if you do not own the domain name for your name - you should buy it.  Now.  Or someone else might.

So I went out and bought the domain names for her name, her husbands name and her company - at the time - and I set up a website that was a clearinghouse of every news article I could find and every blog post I had ever written - I did not put any kind of extra information there - except for information about parvo in case customers of hers who had landed there late at night searching for answers needed some quick links needed that information - and the Gail Benoit website was born.

At the time it was a static website but I have since moved it to blogger so all it costs me now is the price of a yearly domain name - for the first 10 years it cost me about $120 a year.

But now we've come to 2021 - I'd say that you'd be hard pressed to find a Nova Scotian who has never heard of Gail Benoit - and if you want to know the truth - she is not the problem here in Nova Scotia - she has not been able to buy or sell any companion animal for the last 4 years - she is still not allowed to sell any animal until January 2022.

Since she's had a prohibition on owning or selling any animal a whole industry has opened up in Nova Scotia that is truly much worse than anything she ever did in the 15 years she was in business - and there are other dog brokers operarating in business right now today - Oops Puppies probably being the most well known - but there are others - I consider every importing rescue to be no better and no less than a dog broker - that is for sure.

So because of this I am shutting down my Gail Benoit website - it's almost every day that I see posts like this - people saying that she should be dead, should be in jail  - for what - for existing.

And if anyone tries to point out that she's allowed to stay in a hotel, she's allowed to sit in a restaurant - she's allowed to have a life - that person is attacked and bullied and told they are no better than Gail.

It's ridiculous.

And I'm not willing to be a part of it anymore.

In 2007 it was a good idea.  In 2021 - I'm not willing to be a part of it anymore.  Sorry - I have been bullied, gaslit, told I should kill myself too many times to be part of something that produces the same results.

So the Gail Benoit website is a thing of the past.  

It's not about the importing - it's about the grift

 I have been trying to think about how to write about what's going on with the news stories recently (and not so recently) with dogs being imported to Atlantic Canada and the problems that are being caused by them.

It's being going on for awhile. For years actually. People have always brought dogs from away - dogs that they've fallen in love with while away on vacation in fabulous locales in places around the world. That's lovely and there's nothing wrong with that - but dogs are coming here at the rate of 100's a month at this point and it seems to have become unmanageable in some people's eyes. 

Literally - all you need to get a dog into Canada is a rabies vaccination and a visual examination by a border offical at the Canadian border certifying that the dog is healthy and bob's your uncle - you are over the border and free and clear.  Those 60 or so dogs you've crammed into your cube van that have been in there in stacked crates for 60 hours on a non-stop journey may all have heartworm, coccidia, and any number of other lovely hosts - but the Canadian border officials - really do NOT care if you've got that rabies certificate.  

And that is the truth.  Otherwise - explain how all these sick dogs seem to end up in Nova Scotia?  I'll wait.  

Anyhoo.  It all started with Hearts of the North - who claim up and down that they are NOT a rescue - (a lot of organizations who places dogs in homes claim that - another group claims that too - Elderdog - who I love and are a super group - also says they are NOT  a rescue)  Hearts of the north was created on April 25, 2015 according to their facebook page - and that's when the flood gates opened up. 

 They started importing bully type dogs from the southern states. 

They absolutely do not care whether or not the dog is healthy or whether it is behaviorally sound - I am just stating facts here - there are enough stories that have come out in the news in the last six years that bear what I am saying in this blog post as fact.  I'm not going to quibble in this blog post - I'm going to lay it out clear as possible.

So Hearts of the North was first - but they certainly were not the last - once people started realizing that money could be made off the backs of rescue dogs - there is now a multi multi million dollar industry around the buying, moving and selling of rescue dogs - and Nova Scotians are being made to suffer for it.  There is now Save a life Canada Animal Rescue, Fetch a Dog Animal Transport, Fly with me rescue, South Paw Conservation Society, Relinquished Souls Animal Rescue - even the NS SPCA has been planning on importing animals from the States - these are just a couple I thought of off the top off my head - I don’t know if they’ve starred yet - they even have a page on their website justifying why they wanted to do it :( - https://www.novascotiaspca.ca/services-care/transport-program/pet-transport-faq/

Importing rescues in Nova Scotia are now the norm - rescuing dogs that are local to Nova Scotia? No one cares about them anymore - that's not sexy - people want dogs that have good back stories - give me a dog that was minutes away from being killed on the kill floor in Texas - give me a dog that refused to fight in a fight ring in Georgia - give me a chihuhua from the mean streets of Mexico.

I am a person who believes that dogs are sentient - they are individucals just like us - that's why I fight so hard against torture tools like shock collars and prong collars and aversive types of dog training - it's why I started a rescue here in Nova Scotia to save chained dogs and worked to change the legislation here so that chaining dogs continuously is now illegal - it's why I worked really hard so that puppies are not sold in pet stores and its illegal to kill your own pet now - it's why when the SPCA was corrupt I worked to change things there.

Nova Scotia has a population of about a million people - the population of Texas is somewhere over 30 million people and I think maybe Georgia has about that many people too - I ask this question over and over and no one seems to be able to give me an adequate answer - how is Nova Scotia supposed to solve Texas and Georgia's stray and homeless dogs' problem?

It is a question that has flummoxed me since this problem emerged - how is deluging Nova Scotia - and actually the whole of Canada - with unstable, sick animals - going to solve the southern US's problems?

We have done a phenomenal job here of spaying and neutering so that there isn't a huge excess animal population here - that is a GOOD thing!  There isn't a problem with importing animals when it is done CORRECTLY - and there are importing rescues doing things right- but there are some "rescues" that need to just be shut down.  They are too dangerous to the public good.

(Can I interject here for a second here something about Fly with me that I’ve never heard another rescue do - it was revealed this week in a Chronicle Herald article that they anesthesize - they dope up - dogs after they arrive from the south - do they do that to every dog that arrives? Who knows - but they did that to one dog who ended up in the news - really - what responsible rescue does this?  Correct answer - they do NOT)

Rescues like Fly with me.  They have been in the news a lot.  Rescues like Hearts of the North - they - or should I say - Connie Madsen  - doesn't care about anyone but themselves.

And so now maybe I should get on to the subject of this post?  The grifting - because at the end of the days for these importing rescues - that's what it's all about - the absolutely huge amounts of money that is to be made off the backs of the dogs that they are bringing up here - unbelievable huge amounts of mopney that they are making.

Let me break it down for you - because this is the thing that they always scream the loudest that I'm lying about.

The dogs that they are saving - come up here already pre spayed and neutred by the originating rescue - they don't tell you that - they've also already had their shots too  - they might also be having their heartworm treatment if they're heartworm positive - and they're STILL GOING to be heartworm positive when they arrrive here.

So what you are paying for in your adoption fee is the transport costs - and that's the biggest scam - that's probably the person making the most money but I'll get to that later.

Adoption fees run from $450-$700 right now I think - none lower but some are higher.  So taking that lower figure - Fly with me recently announced that they've saved 500 dogs from the south to Nova Scotia - so $450 x 500 equals $225,000 IN ONE YEAR - in adoption fees ALONE.

But that's only one part of the grift people. Because what these rescues do is that they have fundraisers running constantly - it's really unbelievable - I have been in rescue since 2002 - when I was in rescue I never had time to do fund raisers because I was either too busy taking care of dogs or too busy rescuing dogs - but they have constant gofundme's and constantly online fundraisers - and they are always posting asking for donations to their  paypal accounts and to top it off - they have Amazon wish lists - I think I'll start up an amazon wish list - I really want a cri cut machine - it will really improve the quality of my life and the dogs life - fuck those damn southern dogs, am i rite?

Hearts of the North has a fund raiser - every Friday - email Connie $5 just because - no other reason - I mean - I mean - I don't thinik a marketer making $500,000 a year could have come up with this one.

In 2014 Provincial Minister of Agriculture Keith Colwell began meeting yearly with members of the animal advocacy community and in 2016 he asked us if there was anything that would improve the lives of animals in Nova Scotia and I said that regulations around animal rescues would really help - he gave us time to work on them - I wrote some regulations - but until now nothing has happened unfortuntely - and we are here in March 2021 and really - the animals and humans of Nova Scotia ARE suffering because of these importing rescues - they are bringing in diseases we don't have, they are aggressive - they are not being properly assessed in their originating country.

I said before there are some rescues who do things correctly - importing companion animals can be a good thing - but the government of Canada has got to crack down on this before someone dies - either from a dog attack or from acquiring a disease from an infected animal - it's going to happen.

We have to acknowledge the fact that the southern states refuses to spay and neuter their animals. Why?  I have no ideas - there are so many ngo's already on the ground down trying to work to make things better and still there are too many animals - should the whole of Canada be made to suffer for it?

So this is my idea and maybe you'll understand these importing rescues grift with my business plan.  Instead of going to the south - why don't we rescue Canadian dogs - did you know that 500,000 animals are killed in Canada every year?  And 400,000 of them are in Quebec alone - it's only a 13 hour drive to Montreal - I've done it tons of times myself on my own - I propose crowd funding to buy a van, (and can I interject here that Save a life Canada Animal Rescue Society crowd funded for a van at some point and got the amount that they needed for a van, bought it and I don't know if we ever saw that van again - except for maybe at the Co-op in Springhill on Saturday mornings) - make some relationships with vendors around Montreal and then bing bang boom saving some animals and bringing them here and adopting them out.

The originating shelter has to pay for everything though - and the animal has to be young cute and healthy with no behavioural problems - and the people adopting have to adopt based on the photo.

And I will interject to say that there are several Nova Scotia importing rescues  who ARE DOING THIS EXACT SAME THING RIGHT NOW with pit bull type dogs - adopting based on a photo and text description alone.  Read that again.

So other than gas and some food - because you know I''m going to be sleeping in that van - and a cursory vet check to get that health certificate - that's all free money for me, baby.  And guess what - that's all free money for the other importing rescues too.

You may say that these dogs I’m getting from Quebec — they are going to have health problems that weren’t diagnosed in the shelter they came from - that’s no problem! That’s what PayPal, email transfers and GoFundMe are for!  You can make a humongous amount of extra money through sick docs! I remember a few years ago a rescue made $50,000 on one sick dog that got a lot of press - sounds good to me!

Get it now?

So who wants to buy me a van so I can go get some free dogs and make the dream happen? And where are we on that cri cut machine?

Can I also add a little bit here at the end about how all these rescues lie about heartworm? This has bugged the hell out of me since the beginning - since the first rescue imported the first heartworm positive dog - these people think they know more than the veterinerians - this screen grab proves it - it's from the "rescue" - "Dog and Cat Adoptables of Atlantic Canada"  - they are the ones who brought the poor dog up from the south who had the poor dog so full of heart worms he could barely move and they said when he arrived here he was heartworm free and maybe they got his paperwork mixed up with some other dogs - as if - paperwork gets mixed up all the time according to folks like these - this is one of my big bugaboos 

Karin Robertson found not guilty of abusing her dogs

Well actually I don't think that's exactly what she was charged with - don't charge me with defamation for that throwaway line Karin - you're probably feeling litigous right now - the title of this post is a joke - I'm JOKING!  HAHA! We're laughing!

So I have written several, nay you could almost say I've written many - posts over the years on this blog about the justice system in this province of Nova Scotia - the place that we love to call home - the place that we choose to live in - in no small part because it is so breathtakingly beautiful and is such a great place to own a dog in - but I've got to tell you - when it comes to animal justice - we are at the rank bottom of the scale - probably in North America.

Some would say that Karin Robertson won her trial yesterday in provincial court where Judge Ronda van der Hoek decided that what Karin Robertson was saying was the truth and what the SPCA was saying was not the truth.  It's interesting because a few months earlier there was another semi-judicial hearing - an animal cruelty appeal board hearing - when Ms. Robertson had an opportunity to get her animals back while she waited for her case to move through the courts - and she was denied that option - and when that happens the animals are adopted out - so all 35 of the dogs seized from her kennel were adopted out at that time - never to be given back to her - so I'd imagine now that she'swon her case shell be suing the SPCA toute suite.

But the thing is - we were all at the Animal Cruelty Appeal Board Hearing - we all heard what was said - the conditions that she had her dogs in - we all heard it -we all know - we all know that she was in fact not keeping her dogs in sanitary safe conditions and that dogs that went into homes sometimes had life long behaviour problems - everyone knows this - why Judge Van Der Hock chose to ignore this - I wasnt at the trial - I don't know why one side was a better lawyer obviously.

And once again - that seems to be what it comes down to.

We have a lady who had for years not taken proper care of her border collies jack russels - and hey - remember when she sold two pupies to a guy, who bounced the cheque and when she wanted the puppies back said he lost the puppies?  And remember after her dogs were seized seeing a photo of her at Walmart returning dog food - used dog food - to get the money back - (picture taken January 8, 2020 and her animal cruelty appeal board hearing was December 30, 2019) now that's cold - I guess she wasn't figuring shew as going to get her dogs back from the SPCA, eh?  That was cold.

Anyhoo - so what can we do - who's to blame - where can we direct our hot blooded anger at this point?  I mean a lady got 3 months house arrest for letting her dog starve to death inside a parking garage inside Staples - and we still let this shit go on - and do you know who I think is to blame for these lax end results?

It's the crown prosecutors and judges - and mostly the judges - they do not see any value in anything that is not human - and we have to start talking about it - it's 2021 - if we see any value in our canine and feline companions - we have to start demanding it from every level of government - that Ms Robertson was found not guilty for what she was doing in Wilmot is ridiculous.  Her not guilty verdict is a symptom of our justice system in Nova Scotia and should NOT go un noticed - please don't let it go un-noticed - I'm sure all the people who now own the 35 dogs who are the survivors at the time of the raid by the SPCA would really like it if something happens beyond this.

It was NOT the NS SPCA who did something wrong in this case - which ludicrously, Judge Van Der Hock tried to make it sound (see article below) - it was Karin Robertson alone who did wrong things - and did it for years- people have known for years about her in Nova Scotia and everyone sighed for relief when she was finally raided and all her dogs were taken away - the fact that she's been found "not guilty" and is now been given carte blanche to start breeding again? I can't imagine - I hope people will do their due diligence - that'sfor sure.

Anyway - what a depressing outcome for the dogs of Nova Scotia this week - what needs to happen is that compassion training needs to happen for all justice employees in Nova Scotia - but like that is ever going to happen - especially judges - but that would be awesome - can you imagine if a judge saw that an animal was a sentient being and deserved the same justice as a living human?  Unbelieveable - what a world we'd be living in then.

In Nova Scotia right now our Justice Minister is Mark Furey - here is  his contact information - https://nslegislature.ca/members/profiles/mark-furey - if you really want to get busy - we have a new premier who is looking to our next election - I think it'd really be nice to put animals on the next election - so Iain Rankin - his contact information is here - https://premier.novascotia.ca/ - animals really do deserve more than what our justice system here in Nova Scotia have given them - and while you're talking to these two individuals - bring up Snoopy - he really needs to come home.  Thanks.

Here is what an article desribing the Animal Cruelty Appeal Board last December looked like:

N.S. SPCA, Robertson nowhere near agreeing on facts at appeal hearing 

 HALIFAX, N.S. — At an appeal hearing Monday, the Nova Scotia SPCA and Karin Robertson painted two very different pictures of the conditions 35 dogs were living under near Wolfville on Dec. 10. 

 JoAnne Landsburg, chief inspector of the N.S. SPCA, testified she first visited Robertson’s property on Sept. 18 as part of an investigation after two special constables came back with “many concerns with multiple dogs” from an inspection two days prior. 

 “I was immediately hit with the smell of dog and urine when I walked inside,” Landsburg testified during the SPCA’s first public appeal hearing at a Halifax hotel. Landsburg had multiple issues, such as stacked crates, the number of dogs running around and unsanitary conditions, so she gave Robertson a list of orders to follow and said the SPCA would return to follow up. 

 The SPCA returned for several inspections after Lansdburg’s initial visit and gave Robertson more compliance orders. 'An array of negative states' During a followup visit with animal behaviouralist Rebecca Ledger in October, Landsburg estimated she saw upward of 82 dogs on Robertson’s property. “(Robertson) could never tell me how many dogs were on the property,” Landsburg said. 

 Aside from the living conditions and the number of dogs, Ledger was concerned about the dogs' behavioural patterns. “It appeared they were suffering from an array of negative states,” Ledger testified. “They were incredibly fearful of strangers. 

They were very shut down, some of them.” Ledger noted some dogs she deemed aggressive were in pens next to one another, while some mother dogs were locked in crates. Final chance to surrender One of the dogs seized by the Nova Scotia SPCA from what the organization said was a puppy mill near Wolfville. - Nova Scotia SPCA One of the dogs seized by the Nova Scotia SPCA from what the organization said was a puppy mill near Wolfville. - Nova Scotia SPCA Landsburg wrote Robertson a letter near the end of November, asking her to surrender some of her dogs. “I wanted to give her one more final opportunity to reduce the number of dogs she had,” Landsburg said. 

 “When I did this, we had a plan in place with a time frame because I wasn’t prepared to let those conditions go on forever.” When Robertson didn’t surrender any more dogs to the SPCA, Landsburg obtained a search warrant. 

 On Dec. 10, 19 border collies and 16 Jack Russell terriers were seized from Robertson’s property. Almost all of the dogs, some with catch poles around their neck, had to be carried to the vehicles because they would roll or were aggressive, Landsburg said. Landsburg showed many graphic photos of the kennel, inside of the house and fenced areas on Robertson’s property from the day of the seizure and a previous visit. 

 “You couldn’t walk anywhere without stepping in feces,” Landsburg said as she clicked through photos of green-coloured water pooled outside in a fenced-in area, kennels with paw prints up the walls and dirty wood floors. 

 “I don’t think the kennels had ever been cleaned or sanitized.” Many in attendance, most in support of the SPCA, gasped, mumbled to one another or shouted words like “disgusting” as the photos were shown, while some left the packed room shaking their heads. Since seizing the dogs, five Jack Russell terriers and six border collies have been born. Another litter is expected at any time, Landsburg said. Witnesses for the SPCA testified all of the border collies have high levels of anxiety. 

 “The dogs are extremely shut down in fear,” Amy MacRae, a dog trainer who has been working with the border collies, testified. “One of the puppies himself was so withdrawn from human contact he would pretty much risk self-injury to avoid it.” Every one of the border collies was severely matted with burs in their fur, a veterinarian with the SPCA said, adding some of the Jack Russells had roundworms.

 'I was doing everything I could to accommodate them, but I couldn’t' “People who visit prior to or during chores may see an unclear area, but I assure you when I complete my chores, it’s clean.” - Karin Robertson But Robertson, 57, said the SPCA has been inspecting her place for five years and only started having an issue with her after a couple made a false post about her business on Facebook in July. “This is when it started really. 

It was shared 1,500 times and it went from ‘don’t buy a puppy from Karin Robertson’ to ‘this is a puppy mill,’” said Robertson, who was representing herself. In August 2019, Robertson said she had too many border collie puppies because she was having difficulties selling them. “I was doing everything I could to accommodate them, but I couldn’t, so I contacted the SPCA for help,” she said, adding she surrendered some of her dogs. 

 Robertson said after she was given the compliance orders, she was “working really hard" to make sure things were up to code. Robertson said the kennel floors had foam insulation and each had a mat or cot. She showed pictures of some kennels labelled with names, but most of the pictures didn’t include the floor. “I clean my kennel twice a day and more often if needed,” Robertson said. Robertson, who wasn’t present during the seizure of the dogs, said it may smell like feces or urine before she cleans the kennels, inside of her home or other areas. “I live with my dogs in my home. It’s not going to be picture perfect,” Robertson said. 

 “People who visit prior to or during chores may see an unclear area, but I assure you when I complete my chores, it’s clean.” Robertson claimed the SPCA traumatized the dogs during the seizure and that may be why they’re showing anxious tendencies. “SPCA visits are stressful because their visits are not planned, they are not my friend who I welcome into my home,” Robertson said. “They are enforcement officers who make me feel uncomfortable, leading my dogs to feel uncomfortable.” 'I’ve never seen any problems with the dogs' 

Robertson showed a few videos, some recent and others not, of dogs running through a field, one dog chewing a bone and another walking near her feet. “The SPCA have never witnessed my dogs in their home on a day-to-day basis in their natural environment exhibiting normal behaviour,” she said. All four of Robertson’s witnesses, her friends who have been around the dogs, said they have never seen the dogs act aggressively. Darren LeBlanc said he watched the dogs for a week and experienced no issues. 

 “I’ve never seen any problems with the dogs. There was no aggression or all this stuff that I’ve been hearing,” LeBlanc said. “I think Karin is not this evil person she’s been made out to be.” When questioned by Michael Scott, the lawyer representing the SPCA, Robertson admitted she did sell a dog to a buyer not knowing it was pregnant. 

The dog later had a litter of puppies on the buyer’s couch. Scott pressed Robertson on questions about puppy mills, as the SPCA believes Robertson was orchestrating one, but she declined to answer as she “is a professional, not a puppy mill.” Robertson said the SPCA unlawfully removed the dogs from her property and is asking for the return of her 35 dogs plus the money the SPCA has raised for the dogs. “When I read the letter (in November), 

I fear the SPCA were planning on seizing my dogs regardless of compliance,” Robertson said. The Animal Cruelty appeal board, consisting of three people selected by the province, has two business days to give a verbal decision. Near the end of the public hearing, the SPCA issued a news release stating they have charged Robertson with two counts of animal cruelty under the Animal Protection Act. Robertson is to appear in Kentville provincial court on Jan. 21 at 9:30 a.m. The charges are separate from the appeal.

**************************************************************************

This is an article published after Karin Robertson was found NOT GUILTY

Kings County woman acquitted of cruelty charges, judge says some SPCA orders not lawfully given 

 A Kentville provincial court judge has acquitted a Kings County woman on animal cruelty charges, saying the SPCA made orders that were not lawful and that the accused exercised due diligence in looking after her dogs. 

 Karin Robertson was charged with two counts of allowing an animal to be in distress and one count of disobeying orders after the SPCA seized 35 dogs from her breeding operation near Wolfville in December 2019. 

She was acquitted Wednesday. In July of 2019, malicious online statements caused business for her border collie kennel to dry up. 

With puppies being born and no one to purchase them, the number of dogs increased to around 80, including Jack Russell terriers that she also raised. In early August she started working to decrease the number of dogs, which Judge Rhonda van der Hoek described as “Herculean efforts.” 

Robertson reduced the number of dogs she had by more than half, to numbers below what she had during her annual SPCA inspection in May. An SPCA inspector visited Robertson on an unrelated matter in September, and between that visit and December the SPCA issued five orders with 44 directives with which it said Robinson was required to comply. 

 The directives included many under the Canadian Kennel Club's code of practice for Canadian kennel operations, as well as a few under the standards of care for cats and dogs regulations, which is a provincial regulation. 

 Van der Hoek said the orders to comply with directives under the code or practice “were not lawfully given, were ambiguous, unnecessary, and caused Ms. Robertson to divert precious time to interpretation and taking actions that further reduced her available time to care for and reduce the number of dogs.” 

 Robertson is not required to follow directives related to the code of practice, the judge said, because the Animal Protection Act does not incorporate it by reference, nor does it provide authority to issue orders under the code. 

 Van der Hoek said while directives under the standards of care regulations around food, water and shelter were lawful, they did not apply to Robertson's operation. 

 “She was directed to provide continuous shelter to dogs that were kept outdoors. I find there was no evidence presented by the Crown, that I accept, that the animals were kept outdoors,” van der Hoek said. She said while Robertson was also ordered to not allow “excess excrement where dogs are kept,” there was no evidence of an excessive amount. 

 The judge also took issue with the order issued by the SPCA that Robertson must make sure the dogs had drinking water 24 hours a day. She said the regulations require that dogs have adequate access to water, which is defined as clean, at a drinkable temperature, and accessible in sufficient volume taking into account weather and temperature, to maintain normal hydration. “(Robertson) watered the dogs twice a day, and the puppies every few hours based on age,” van der Hoek said. 

“Despite SPCA insistence, it is not the standard to have water present at all times.” An SPCA veterinarian who examined the dogs after they were seized did not note that any of them were dehydrated. The judge said the two charges of causing an animal to be in distress were not borne out, as Robertson took due diligence to look after the dogs.

 “I accept the evidence of Ms. Robertson, who I found to be both credible and reliable, that she worked from approximately 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day caring for all the dogs and the puppies,” the judge said. 

 She said Robertson maintained the gruelling schedule while also dealing with a cancer diagnosis, her ailing mother, and reducing the number of dogs she had, along with the long list of directives. 

 “She knew what issues were priorities, such as hand-feeding puppies, so it should be no surprise that dogs that were in the rainy outdoors were not always bathed and brushed every day. That's was certainly an item that had to be pushed to the bottom of the list.” One of the accusations from the SPCA was that some of the border collies were in distress because they had some mats in their fur and were dirty. Robertson's efforts were due diligence, the judge said, and “even the SPCA could think of nothing else she could have done. 

It would be wise for them to consider the issue of due diligence during their investigations, rather than ignoring it until trial.” The judge said that where Robertson's testimony differed from the SPCA witnesses, “I prefer hers. 

For example, the reliability of SPCA witness inspector (Jessica) Oliver suffered under cross-examination when she overstated her efforts to clarify the orders.” 

 The judge also said that on the day of the seizure, there was no evidence to prove the dogs were in distress. “The dogs were in the house or the kennel and without their master. The SPCA executed the warrant, they entered their house and alarmed the dogs, slip-lining their necks and taking them away. It is not surprising this traumatic experience caused defecation, urination and hostile behaviour.” 

 Robertson broke down as she walked out of the courtroom. Her lawyer, Brian Casey, said outside court that the judge looked at five days of evidence and “that gave her an opportunity which other people haven't had to make sure that she was getting the facts right.” He said the judge gave “a fairly serious criticism about the way the SPCA behaved here. 

One of the regrettable things is that the SPCA essentially has the power of expropriation under the Act, and even now that it has been found that Ms. Robertson did nothing wrong, there is no process for her to get her dogs back, there is no process for her to be compensated.” The SPCA adopted out the dogs after the seizure, months before the trial started. Robertson said she doesn't know what's next for her, but she plans to explore her options. 

 “There needs to be changes in the system so this doesn't happen to anybody else,” she said. She said she suffers from definitive statements made by the SPCA that she was operating a puppy mill before the matter had even gone to court. “I'm not a puppy mill, I've never been a puppy mill,” she said. “It's still in the news. People have made a decision and I'm guilty no matter what happened today. “They've ruined my reputation, they've ruined my business, I've been ostracized in my community. That's not going to change, people have already made up their minds and the hate groups are on their high horse, and that's what they believe.”