FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Susan Mackasey Phone: 450-691-4171 petitspawz.net smackasey@gmail [email protected] ANIMAL RESCUE NETWORK –Blatant Cruelty and Neglect - MAPAQ Standards of Care Too Lenient. Montreal, Qc. – March 4th 2014 – Animal Rescue Network (ARN), claiming to be ‘Montreal’s Largest No Kill Shelter’ is warehousing cats in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, where terminally ill animals are suffering needlessly and living the ends of their lives in cages. Viruses are rampant, and the quality of life is low. Eyewitness reports of substandard conditions have been reported by Susan Mackasey and Patricia Paulozzi, of PetitsPawz Cat Refuge of Montreal, as well as testimony from ARN volunteers, the SPCA, adopters and personal staff of Barbara Lisbona. Testimony has revealed blatant animal neglect and cruelty. Many of these cats are infected with late stage, terminal feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia, with secondary infections, such as rhinotracheitis (rhino), mouth ulcers, calicivirus and ringworm. These cats are kept alive despite recommendations from veterinarians to humanely euthanize them. ARN houses approximately 295 cats, with a large number living in cages for months with little or no vet treatment. Signs on cages reveal lack of funds to treat animals in pain. The second location has approximately 90 cats roaming free in unsanitary conditions. Lisbona has not paid her rent in over 4 months. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) is responsible for the inspection activities relating to the safety and well being of cats and dogs. Inspectors have visited the premises but Quebec’s laws require standards of care mainly limited to ample water, food and space. While the SPCA is aware of the gravity of the situation, it is out of its jurisdiction. The SPCA has recently made a complaint to MAPAQ regarding an act of cruelty that took place in late December 2013. In consultation with Alanna Devine (CSPCA Director of Animal Advocacy), staff veterinarians and supervisors, the SPCA collectively decided to not return the cat in question into Lisbona’s possession. Eyewitness accounts of the substandard conditions include photos and complaints sent to MAPAQ, which clearly reveal the seriousness of the situation such as the following: a) Cats in Distress - physical suffering and pain – terminally ill cats left to suffer for months in cages; some sporadically receiving treatment to prolong their terminal condition and others not treated at all (validated by photos and charts) b) Inability to provide adequate veterinary care to many of the cats (charts stating lack of funds for vet care) c) No water permitted to the cats in Barbara Lisbonas home; they survive off the moisture of their soft food (complaint sent to MAPAQ by former employee of Barbara Lisbona) d) Unsanitary conditions (documented in photos and eye-witness accounts) e) Lack of ventilation f) Poor decision making, resulting in cruel and inhumane treatment (example, surgery on a cat to discover she is full-term pregnant resulting in Barbara Lisbona instructing the vet to stitch her back up, forcing her to give birth the next day) (Complaint made by the SPCA to MAPAQ regarding this situation). g) Cats are under observation by unqualified volunteers who decide what treatment the cats should receive. The ARN continues to collect new cats, even though they are over capacity and cannot care properly for the cats they have. Over the past 5 years the ARN has reported income of approximately $1.6 million in donations, however there is often a shortage of supplies. Cats are not given adequate veterinary care and many Montreal veterinarians are no longer willing to treat ARN’s animals due to lack of payment. It is clear that ARN is in VIOLATION OF LAW P-42 (3) “THE ANIMAL DOES NOT RECEIVE THE HEALTH CARE REQUIRED BY ITS CONDITION WHILE IT IS WOUNDED, SICK OR SUFFERING” A complete media kit including the following is available though a Facebook page upon request: - Eye-witness, first hand accounts - Photos - Private message board posts from volunteers - Adopter testimonials - Volunteer accounts - Profiles of suffering cats - Former employee testimonials - Complaints to MAPAQ - Other eye witness reports Interviews are available to the media from volunteers, the landlord, former employee, adopters and other eyewitnesses. Please contact Susan Mackasey for more information and to access the media kit at 450-691-4171 or smackasey@gmail.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 03:18:01 +0000
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