This past weekend up in Georgian Bluffs (Wiarton area) there was a dire situation involving 9 dogs being kept in crates for many many hours that needed immediate attention.
Some of you may have read about this on Facebook.
Humane Initiative along with a few other colleagues were asked to escalate the situation in an attempt to get Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) to act.
One AWS Inspector had visited and had been of zero help. He knew his inaction was causing 9 dogs to kept in crates for over 24 hours. He was more concerned about arguing with the dogs owner who was trying to get help for the dogs on a property he was trespassed from.
All the AWS Inspector kept saying was “I am limited by the legislation and I am working within my legislative authority”. He would continue to complain he was working alone, in a remote area and on a weekend!!!!
I wrote an email to AWS Chief Animal Welfare Inspector Melanie Milczynski (cc’ing: Doug Ford, Michael Kerzner, her PA, her Deputy and the Inspectors involved). In the email I laid out the situation, what had transpired and that keeping dogs in crates for over 24 hrs was inhumane and I was escalating the matter to her.
Below is the email I received from Chief Melanie Milczynski this morning. You can read for yourself..her response is ridiculous and totally counterproductive in dealing with a time sensitive situation involving animals in need.
For those not familiar with the issues many people have encountered with AWS:
- Very poor response times when calls for help are made to the PAWS Hotline (1.833.9.ANIMAL)
- Inspectors that do not actually help the animal(s) they have been dispatched to help
- Inspectors that are so bogged down in red tape they cannot troubleshoot their way out of a paper bag
- Zero collaboration with other agencies that could lend support with the goal of helping the animal(s)
Chief Milczynski really does not like when I cc her inspectors. But I will continue to call this out in the off chance that appropriate action will be undertaken by people that our tax money pays for.
Good morning,
Thank you for your correspondence related to a recent animal welfare matter. I am responding to reaffirm Animal Welfare Services’ (AWS) commitment to maintaining the integrity and independence of regulatory operations and investigations under the PAWS Act.
The role of AWS inspectors is defined by law and governed by professional standards that ensure investigative procedures are conducted impartially, thoroughly, and without undue influence. We ask that you refrain from providing instruction to inspectors that may hinder the course of an investigation and impact its outcome.
As previously communicated, please direct future correspondence related to AWS cases to my attention so that AWS inspectors can focus on the matters at hand. If you believe the standards of care under the PAWS Act are not being met at a specific location/facility or that an animal is in distress, please call the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre (OAPCC) at 1-833-9ANIMAL (1-833-926-4625) to report your animal welfare concerns. This call centre is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once a call is reported to the OAPCC, the call is then directed to the appropriate inspector or a local police service.
Thank you for your support of these foundational principles.
Best regards,
Melanie Milczynski
Director, Animal Welfare Services | Chief Animal Welfare Inspector
Ministry of the Solicitor General | Ontario Public Service
416-433-3540 | melanie.milczynski@ontario.ca
Footnote:
I replied to Chief Milczynski telling her that sending a prefabricated copy/paste response does very little to address valid concerns raised more than once by many more people than merely Humane Initiative.
2 thoughts on “Email from AWS Chief”
Once again AWS has failed to provide any protection to animals. In this case it is so derelict of duties that they should be charged with animal abuse. To leave animals without water and confined in a crate for a period of 26 hours is the definition of abuse and is against the laws of Ontario under the Pound Act.
Ontario’s animal welfare is a farce. Animal abuse is rampant because, not only is there no investigation and criminal charges, AWS is now targeting those legitimate rescues and shelters that do their job for them without any government funding. It is time to defund the animal welfare system in Ontario. What a waste of taxpayer’s dollars.
The 9 dogs did have water and had been fed but were locked in crates and the owner was not allowed to attend to them on his own. The fact the AWS knew the conditions and allowed this to occur and continue is what the main issue is.