THUNDER BAY – For the first time in eight months the district of Thunder Bay has a full-time animal cruelty investigator.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has assigned Jeremy Gardiner to the region, giving him authority to investigate claims and lay charges under both the Criminal Code of Canada and the OSPCA Act.
It’s not only cruelty or abuse that can lead to charges, as not providing proper care for pets is the most common case type.
“The OSPCA Act gives us the same powers as police officers when enforcing animal cruelty,” he said Friday morning.
“A lot of (the cases involve) not abiding by the standards of care for animals, things like not getting them to the vet when they’re sick. People can be charged under the act for that.”
Thunder Bay and District Humane Society executive director Melanie Blanchette said there is a greater need now to investigate claims of neglect, cruelty and abuse.
“Since he’s been appointed calls have doubled and investigations have doubled,” she said. “We’ll be able to respond adequately.”
A part-time officer had been working in the interim, and will continue to provide assistance, but it was challenging to meet the demand during the limited hours.
That meant the humane society had to turn to other policing forces to try to maintain proper investigations.
“It was hard to insist police help investigate these calls. Obviously they have such pressing matters to deal with so it was just trying to work together with by-law, city police and the OPP to try to come up with a solution,” Blanchette said.
Even though they have the authority to lay criminal charges, Gardiner stressed it is often used only as a last resort.
Instead he would rather work with pet owners to change behaviours.
“Our biggest mandate is to educate first and charge later,” he said.
Gardiner is responsible for covering from the Manitoba border to as far east as White River, an expansive territory that is the largest such region in the province.
With the number of calls both Gardiner and Blanchette hope another full-time agent will be assigned to help ease the workload.
