OSPCA investigators described the scene at the Toronto Humane Society as a "house of horrors," noting they discovered a mummified cat in a live trap in a drop ceiling.

"This is unbelievable to me. I said earlier it sent chills down my spine," Insp. Kevin Strooband told reporters outside the facility on Friday afternoon.

The animal was in a live trap. Such traps are baited with food. The animal enters, is caught, and then is transferred to another cage. "That wasn't done," he said.

The trap had been set in the facility's drop ceiling. "This was pretty deliberate. Somebody set that trap and knew it was up there," Strooband said.

"You'll see one of the ceiling tiles is removed and you'll see wires hanging out. Those wires -- we didn't cut them. They were chewed through. The cat pulled the wires in the cage in an effort to do whatever it could to get out."

One cat was found severely dehydrated. Another had an ulcerated tongue, but it wasn't on any medication.

Tim Trow, the THS's president, told CTV News no one should be surprised to find some sick animals at an animal shelter.

As to the charges, "I've never been unkind to an animal in my life. Ever since I was a young man, my major preoccupation after work was animal welfare, and working towards different legislation and caring for animals," he said.

Trow and four others face the following charges following their arrest on Thursday:

  • Trow - cruelty to animals (2), obstruction of a peace officer (3)
  • Dr. Steve Sheridan - cruelty to animals
  • Gary McCracken, general manager - cruelty animals (2), obstruction of a peace officer (3)
  • Andy Bechtel - cruelty animals (2), obstruction of a peace officer (3)
  • Romeo Bernadino - cruelty animals (2), obstruction of a peace officer (3)

In addition, the above plus the THS's board of directors will face five charges of animal cruelty under the Ontario SPCA Act.

No allegations against Trow or the others have been proven in a court of law.

The five suspects arrested Thursday afternoon were released from police custody around midnight after making bail.

As a condition of their release, they are to have no communication with other THS employees and cannot care for animals other than their personal pets, said Chris Avery, the lawyer representing the OSPCA.

Alison Cross, an OSPCA spokesperson, said four animals have been euthanized since Thursday's raid -- a puppy, two cats, and a raccoon. Veterinarians are examining the estimated 1,100 animals in the River Street building, she said.

Strooband said the work will continue over the weekend.

Political motivations

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Toronto Humane Society was led away from the organization's headquarters in handcuffs Friday morning after he went to the building looking for answers to yesterday's police raid.

Ian McConachie told CTV News he was arrested for trespassing but then released from custody without charge about 15 minutes after being detained.

He said he was told by an investigator with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that his name is on a "do not let in" list and that he was asked to leave the property.

When he continued to ask for documented information related to Thursday's raid and arrests, he was handcuffed.

"I was just seeking some information to provide the public with our side of the story," he said.

The THS will be closed to the public over the next few days, but is expected to reopen on Tuesday. McConachie said he was told that some officials would be allowed back into the building on Tuesday.

McConachie said the THS is "confident" in their "excellent" vet care and that the THS "doesn't know the specifics of the OSPCA claims or specifics of the case."

"We're confident we'll defeat those charges in court," he said.

He said he suspects the OSPCA had political reasons to execute the raid.

"The THS and the OSPCA has never seen eye-to-eye on a lot of issues, said McConachie. "To march our officials out there handcuffed like that was uncalled for."

He pointed out that the arrests and raid come just as the holiday season is kicking off.

"Christmas fundraising is one of our busiest times," McConnachie said. "This could be designed to hurt our charity."

Strooband called the OSPCA investigation -- sparked by an investigative report by a Globe and Mail reporter -- "meticulous."

Euthanasia

Earlier this year, the Globe ran a series of investigative articles alleging that animals in the shelter were suffering and dying in cages rather than being euthanized.

Avery said there were three prongs of liability:

  • failing to provide basic wants and needs to the animals
  • no disease or pathogen control
  • medically untrained management has the final say in medical care

"That has left literally hundreds of animals to suffer to death in their cages," he said.

McConnachie said THS policy is to only euthanize animals that are deemed to be terminally ill or injured.

The OSPCA investigated the THS as a result in June but received a tip afterwards that about two dozen animals were hidden during the June inspection because of their condition, Strooband said.

He's not surprised that members of the public, who are invited to walk through the shelter looking for an animal to adopt, did not notice any signs of neglect.

"(You can) walk through and see these animals but when there are thousands of animals in the shelter, you may just walk by and not necessarily notice an animal that's been put in distress," Strooband said.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney