If you've been following along with the stories coming out of the Cape Breton Post and Chronicle Herald - there's lots of juicy stuff to read - but today was perhaps the juiciest -the names of Celtic Pets, and Pam Keddy have been invoked in relation to the newest scandal to hit Cape Breton rescue.
In my previous post I purposely chose to stay away from the Celtic Pets debacle on purpose because I didn't want to bring up that horror again - but this story is all related.
How could the Provincial Board at the time let such abuse continue on for such a lengthh of time at Celtic Pets like they let the horror continue on at the Cape Breton SPCA? How is the horror going on at the Cape Breton SPCA any different than the horror at Celtic Pets?
The people running the organizations and the old crony system. That's how. The name of Pam Keddy was mentioned in the article, but there were a few others who let the abuuse continue - at both places.
And I have to say also that the abuser Zonda MacIsaac said she kept her dogs at her facility because she was trying to keep them out of the hands of the Cape Breton SPCA where she knew they'd be killed automatically - so the CBSPCA has a heavy hand in what happened on West Bay Road.
There have been new developments in the story - supposedly Patsy Rose has stepped down into an "administrative position" and Mel Neville has left as head of the Board - but all the other board members are still there - at the "Cape Breton Humane Society" - and now they want to work with the Provincial Board of the SPCA so that dogs can be transported out and an amenable solution worked out.
It doesn't say anything about them improving the condition of the animals currently in their care or anything good like that. No promises like that.
I have a question though - if the animals are being held inhumanely and abuse is happening - why aren't the staff being charged with cruelty to aninals?
Kristin Williams says it's because the abuse has to be viewed happening in order for charges to be laid - but if a dog is viewed lying in it's own filth with sores on it's body from laying in that condition for days at a time - I would consider that abuse.
Or if a dog was in the shelter with untreated mange and it'd been there a couple weeks - I'd consider that abuse. Staff should know better. But that's just me, maybe. Maybe that's just negligence - but not willful negligence - only intense stupidity.
So maybe the Provincial board will get their building back in the end - and it seems it's due to the vet intervention that happened a couple days ago where they backed up everything Provincial had been saying - and the Mayor is also on Provincial's side.
But if he is - he should immediately suspend the Cape Breton Humane Society's Pound contract - effectively drying up their inntake of animals.
The Provincial SPCA has set up a new branch for the Cape Breton area and is basing it on a foster system like in other areas of Nova scotia such as Antigonish and Windsor (I think) where they don't have physical buildings.
They don't need a building to have an SPCA - they just need to get the word out to not take animals to the CBHS - and when they have no animals coming in - they won't be anything they can be inhumane too - that would be the best case scenario as far as I'm concerned. Dry up their supply and they'll have to shut down.
Here's some articles from the Cape Breton Post -
Here's a letter from Sydney Mayor John Morgan with a link to the shelter veterinary audit - http://www.thecapebretoner.ca/?p=12795
Shelter saga continues
Humane Society Has new Leadership
Council asks animal shelter board to address problems in veterinarians’ report
New building not in humane society budget
Vets issue 27 recommendations for animal shelter
Nova Scotia SPCA dissolves local branch
Boards fighting tooth and claw for control of SPCA
Noon deadline looms for SPCA
CBRM mayor wants independent party to sort out conflicting SPCA claims
Provincial SPCA issues letter of demand for local SPCA board to vacate
Cape Breton SPCA manager says she feels betrayed
Cape Breton SPCA locks out provincial board, public
Helter-skelter at animal shelter
These types of stories are always tough to read. Animals are valuables loving creatures that need to be treated with love and respect. I can not comment or speak to the individuals you reference above but trust that the autorities will review all evidence and information, and make the right judgement.
ReplyDeletePretty sad stuff Joan.
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