Sudbury's Northern Exotics included in investigation of Ontario roadside zoos
The World Animal Protection organization has released a new investigative report on the state of so-called roadside zoos in Ontario.
The report, titled 'Nothing New at the Zoo,' highlights numerous problems with the way exotic animals are housed, cared for and interact with the public.
The investigation reviewed the operations of 11 zoos across Ontario, including Northern Exotics in Sudbury, as well as 10 operations in southern Ontario.
The full report can be found here.
"We found different things from very flimsy built cages to tigers being kept behind fences lower than three metres," said Michèle Hamers, the group's wildlife campaign manager.
"Tigers can clear fences higher (than) four metres, so there are some public health and safety issues there. We found very small enclosures in which animals aren’t able to engage in natural behaviours."
While the report doesn't single out individual zoos for problems, it points to widespread issues with the way the animals are cared for and handled.
In particular, the conditions in which they are kept are radically different from how they live in the wild.
"We found group animals or very social animals like monkeys and parrots to be kept alone, which is heartbreaking to me," Hamers said.
"We found quite some abnormal behaviours -- so those are behaviours that we only see in captivity that they’re usually related to stress, like pacing in wolves, feather plucking in parrots and self-mutilation in monkeys."
Dennis Epp, the owner of Northern Exotics, said he’s disheartened to be on the list especially since he said he doesn’t consider his store to be a zoo necessarily.
It's not a situation where he tries to acquire animals, Epp said. It's more of a rescue situation.
"We get a knock at the door with someone saying 'we have a lizard in a bin outside that needs a home,'" he said.
"So we go out and bring it in. And so, yeah, we might not have the best enclosures, but we don’t know what’s coming to us."
Unlike other organizations, Zepp said he pays for everything himself, aside from a few donations.
"As we can, we improve and we do our best,” he said.
Epp said he signed up for voluntary inspections through the SPCA years ago and has always received good reports. He said Northern Exotics also receives inspections through the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, again passing with flying colours.
Hamers said the province took over enforcement of animal laws from the SPCA in 2019 and WAP's investigation proves the new way of doing things isn’t working.
"We want government to step up and make sure that at least the regulations that are in place -- which are quite vague and hard to enforce -- that they are enforced," she said.
"Additionally, what we would like to see … is to have a zoo licensing system that is province-wide, that is mandatory and that really would result in a phase-out of these types of facilities where public health and animal welfare are highly problematic."
Brent Ross, a spokesperson with the Ministry of the Solicitor General, sent CTV News this statement:
"Animal welfare services has received the complaints raised in this report and is investigating. The PAWS Act is one of the toughest provincial animal welfare legislations in Canada. Since the Act was passed, there have been 47,500 inspections or investigations province-wide; over 6,000 orders and over 500 charges being laid. A total of 3,200 animals have been rescued."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.