It's not clear exactly which criteria are used to decide when suspected abuse should lead to a seizure. Doubtless, the SPCA acts only when it thinks it has good reasons. To track down real abuse, the SPCA is bound to rely heavily on calls from neighbors. Only the most persistent neighbors - some goodhearted, some with other motives - seem to succeed in bringing about an investigation. Sorting the truth from the lies is a tough call. There are good and bad stories circulating throughout the province.
The public must trust that a group of volunteers know when to act, and, that they know how to enforce the law properly without harming animals or infringing the property rights of the people who own them. It's a tricky business at best. Of course, there is no guarantee that public officials (paid, trained) would do a better job - Quebec is a good case in point: there, animal advocates are suing the province's own governmental animal control agency for taking bribes from puppy mill owners (among other things).
So whether animal protection is the task of a charity or the government, some kind of oversight is probably a good idea. We cannot rely on the media to perform this function. When SPCA seizures are first reported, the details are usually scanty, as with this story. Not many more tend to emerge later. Nor do the media often independently confirm the facts. This makes for a murky situation whenever a raid is reported.
Here is the story from the Herald, published October 22, 2009:
Backyard puppy breeder faces animal cruelty charges
Animal protection officials expect to lay cruelty charges against a backyard dog breeder in Westville.
Provincial SPCA investigators seized 21 dogs from a Lyons Lane home on Monday, society president Sean E. Kelly confirmed Wednesday.
They included four adult Great Danes and 11 puppies, a chihuahua mix with three puppies and two other small mixed-breed dogs.
Mr. Kelly wouldn’t release many details while the matter is under investigation, but reported that seizing the animals was a last-ditch measure after other avenues to protect the dogs had failed.
The Society had been working with the breeder for an undisclosed period of time to improve the lot of the dogs, but moved to seize them when the health of one was threatened.
One of the mother dogs was dangerously emaciated, he said.
A warrant was obtained last Friday and executed on Monday by SPCA special constables, in conjunction with Westville police.
Mr. Kelly expects charges will be laid by mid-December under the Animal Cruelty Prevention Act and the Criminal Code of Canada.
The unidentified suspect will likely appear in New Glasgow provincial court if charges are laid.
Neither backyard breeders nor large-scale puppy mills are crimes, but cruelty to animals is illegal, he said.
PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM JANICE BINGLEY
This letter appeared on Facebook with the request to circulate it. Thus, we're circulating it. Whether Mrs. Bringley is guilty of abuse is for a court to decide. However, her effort to be heard sharply contrasts the defiant attitude of convicted puppy miller Gail Benoit. Bingley's letter makes her pain quite tangible - something Benoit - whose lucrative sales of puppies ended in death all too soon, all too often - never expressed.
Animals seized from Westville home
Animal cruelty is one of the hardest things in life for us to except or understand. Why people can harm or mistreat something that is so devoted, so dependant and innocent lack all reasoning. At the slightest hint, people react. They jump to the defense of the animal and attack the people they feel responsible. They judge without facts. It’s human nature. I am writing this, to give you some facts.
I own 7 dogs – not 20, not 23. There are 4 Danes, 1 Border collie mix, 1 Pomeranian and 1 Japanese chin. They range in ages from 1 year to 5 years.
My dogs are fed twice a day. I buy Alpo for the larger ones and Purina Puppy for the smaller ones. Shadow has been on Purina Puppy since she was bred, but has recently been switched to Iams Puppy along with can dog food, on vet recommendation.
All dogs were on a worming program with Strongid T. Their third dose was due on Monday.
All dogs were flee treated on the 20th of September and due for another dose on Tuesday the 20th of November.
All dogs were licensed through the Town of New Glasgow. We recently moved here to get away from our neighbor.
Two of the dogs were under vet care, Shadow being one of them. She was in on Sunday night and placed on antibiotics. Mojo had an appointment at 4 on Tuesday for a recheck and blood work. As of 2:30 on Tuesday, the SPCA had still not contacted my vet. The rest of the dogs were not in need of vet care at this time.
Shadow has a nervous condition. She does not like change. She will go off of her food for weeks at a time. She has been treated in the past for this. We’ve learned tricks to get her to eat. Bear has a food allergy and certain foods will make her fur fall out in clumps. Nobody is interested in talking to me to know what not to feed her. I bet they don’t even know which one she is.
Reports came in that they were severely dehydrated. They were tied to the inside rails of a cube van (not caged) and driven for who knows how long to who knows where. I would be thirsty too.
Previous complaints have come in by a neighbor. Animal control, the local police and the SPCA have all been in my home. They all left with no concerns that I was made aware off. There was always food, always shelter, the dogs were friendly. I received one written warning to buy non-tipping water dished, replace a dog house (which was done) and to remove the dogs from a muddy area. We bought a truck load of shavings to dump on the ground to soak up the extra water as it had been raining for a week. This is all documented somewhere but I assume I am not allowed copies as I have made a large number of calls. Nobody will call me back.
The lady I believe continuously reported me tried in every way to have the dogs removed. She even called CAS and reported that my children were playing in feces, which was unfounded. We had a kennel; she called the town and made us have it removed. She even barged into our house once. I tried to have her charged with harassment, but we were told to move.
Willi has 3 puppies. I did not even realize she was in heat until it was too late. Her pups were born on Oct 2 between 1 and 2:30 in the morning. Her pups were not for sale, we were offering them to friends so we could still see them as adults.
Shadow’s breeding was planned. I had a list of potential buyers. On Oct 4th, she gave birth to 15 puppies in total. We lost 4, and they were breech and difficult for her. She was scared and confused, unsure of what to do, so with the vet on the phone I cut the first puppies cord and removed the sac. I drove the answering service for the vets crazy that day I’m sure. I called a lot. I cut every cord, I wiped every puppy down. I can tell you their birth order.
If you gave birth to 15 babies, would you be at your peak?
The 8th dog on the property was not even mine. She arrived here with her litter of 8 puppies when they were 5 days old. She needed a temporary home. The agreement was to sell the pups for 50 dollars each and use the money to spay her. The spay costs $235 plus tax. They will not spay her until she is first vaccinated, than she must wait 4 weeks after the needle. They will not vaccinate her until her milk is dry. She was going in on the 18 of November for her needle.
We are not a puppy mill, nor a back yard breeder. This was both Shadow and Willi’s first and last litter. I have received deposits for 5 of Shadows pups. That money is put up for their needles on the 18th of November. The balance of the pups was going to be used to spay and neuter 5 of the dogs plus 3 cats. I had no way of finically doing it other wise. Two of the pups were going to New Brunswick. We were delivering to their doors. I would not sell one of my babies without meeting the person first.
I openly invited you people into my home to see my dogs. I hid nothing nor had anything to hide. Shadow was battling with her weight, she was thin. The vet said she had no body fat left but he did not keep her. She walked in and out on her own four feet, without even a leash. She was eating, she was starting to gain.
You people barged into our home out of the blue. You tore apart our lives. You hurt my children, you hurt me. You wouldn’t even give me your names. If I am so cruel to my animals why did you only take the dogs? There are other animals here.
I opened up a face book page. The email is cosmothegreat@live.com. Add me. You will see what they took from us. You look, than you judge me. You know where I live, come see where the dogs lived, I have touched nothing. Knock on my door. I have nothing to hide. I am not afraid. They are wrong. My name is Janice Bingley and there’s nothing you can do to hurt me anymore. All I ask is that you save your hate for me, leave my children alone. I don’t know what else to do.
We want our family back, I need my family back.
Animal cruelty is one of the hardest things in life for us to except or understand. Why people can harm or mistreat something that is so devoted, so dependant and innocent lack all reasoning. At the slightest hint, people react. They jump to the defense of the animal and attack the people they feel responsible. They judge without facts. It’s human nature. I am writing this, to give you some facts.
I own 7 dogs – not 20, not 23. There are 4 Danes, 1 Border collie mix, 1 Pomeranian and 1 Japanese chin. They range in ages from 1 year to 5 years.
My dogs are fed twice a day. I buy Alpo for the larger ones and Purina Puppy for the smaller ones. Shadow has been on Purina Puppy since she was bred, but has recently been switched to Iams Puppy along with can dog food, on vet recommendation.
All dogs were on a worming program with Strongid T. Their third dose was due on Monday.
All dogs were flee treated on the 20th of September and due for another dose on Tuesday the 20th of November.
All dogs were licensed through the Town of New Glasgow. We recently moved here to get away from our neighbor.
Two of the dogs were under vet care, Shadow being one of them. She was in on Sunday night and placed on antibiotics. Mojo had an appointment at 4 on Tuesday for a recheck and blood work. As of 2:30 on Tuesday, the SPCA had still not contacted my vet. The rest of the dogs were not in need of vet care at this time.
Shadow has a nervous condition. She does not like change. She will go off of her food for weeks at a time. She has been treated in the past for this. We’ve learned tricks to get her to eat. Bear has a food allergy and certain foods will make her fur fall out in clumps. Nobody is interested in talking to me to know what not to feed her. I bet they don’t even know which one she is.
Reports came in that they were severely dehydrated. They were tied to the inside rails of a cube van (not caged) and driven for who knows how long to who knows where. I would be thirsty too.
Previous complaints have come in by a neighbor. Animal control, the local police and the SPCA have all been in my home. They all left with no concerns that I was made aware off. There was always food, always shelter, the dogs were friendly. I received one written warning to buy non-tipping water dished, replace a dog house (which was done) and to remove the dogs from a muddy area. We bought a truck load of shavings to dump on the ground to soak up the extra water as it had been raining for a week. This is all documented somewhere but I assume I am not allowed copies as I have made a large number of calls. Nobody will call me back.
The lady I believe continuously reported me tried in every way to have the dogs removed. She even called CAS and reported that my children were playing in feces, which was unfounded. We had a kennel; she called the town and made us have it removed. She even barged into our house once. I tried to have her charged with harassment, but we were told to move.
Willi has 3 puppies. I did not even realize she was in heat until it was too late. Her pups were born on Oct 2 between 1 and 2:30 in the morning. Her pups were not for sale, we were offering them to friends so we could still see them as adults.
Shadow’s breeding was planned. I had a list of potential buyers. On Oct 4th, she gave birth to 15 puppies in total. We lost 4, and they were breech and difficult for her. She was scared and confused, unsure of what to do, so with the vet on the phone I cut the first puppies cord and removed the sac. I drove the answering service for the vets crazy that day I’m sure. I called a lot. I cut every cord, I wiped every puppy down. I can tell you their birth order.
If you gave birth to 15 babies, would you be at your peak?
The 8th dog on the property was not even mine. She arrived here with her litter of 8 puppies when they were 5 days old. She needed a temporary home. The agreement was to sell the pups for 50 dollars each and use the money to spay her. The spay costs $235 plus tax. They will not spay her until she is first vaccinated, than she must wait 4 weeks after the needle. They will not vaccinate her until her milk is dry. She was going in on the 18 of November for her needle.
We are not a puppy mill, nor a back yard breeder. This was both Shadow and Willi’s first and last litter. I have received deposits for 5 of Shadows pups. That money is put up for their needles on the 18th of November. The balance of the pups was going to be used to spay and neuter 5 of the dogs plus 3 cats. I had no way of finically doing it other wise. Two of the pups were going to New Brunswick. We were delivering to their doors. I would not sell one of my babies without meeting the person first.
I openly invited you people into my home to see my dogs. I hid nothing nor had anything to hide. Shadow was battling with her weight, she was thin. The vet said she had no body fat left but he did not keep her. She walked in and out on her own four feet, without even a leash. She was eating, she was starting to gain.
You people barged into our home out of the blue. You tore apart our lives. You hurt my children, you hurt me. You wouldn’t even give me your names. If I am so cruel to my animals why did you only take the dogs? There are other animals here.
I opened up a face book page. The email is cosmothegreat@live.com. Add me. You will see what they took from us. You look, than you judge me. You know where I live, come see where the dogs lived, I have touched nothing. Knock on my door. I have nothing to hide. I am not afraid. They are wrong. My name is Janice Bingley and there’s nothing you can do to hurt me anymore. All I ask is that you save your hate for me, leave my children alone. I don’t know what else to do.
We want our family back, I need my family back.
Janice Bingley
