Is Our Criticism of Animal Welfare Services Justified?

Animal Welfare Services (AWS) is the enforcement division under Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS). They are governed by the PAWS Act – provincial legislation created and brought in January 2020 to replace the OSPCA as the provincial body protecting animals in the province of Ontario. It is overseen by Ministry of the Solicitor General within the Public Safety Division.

Anyone who follows us knows that we have few kind words for how our provincial animal welfare services (AWS) operate – that is no secret.

Below, I will give you one example that happened just yesterday (9 Aug 2025) of why we have so little trust in AWS and why we are calling them out as completely broken and in need of a drastic repair.

Yesterday we were out in Clarington, just east of Toronto for a real estate open house at a rural property which was unoccupied and being sold as an estate sale. The property is 10 acres and consists of a main residential dwelling and a rather old block of horse stables positioned deeper into the property.

Yesterday was hot – very hot, around 32 degrees C with the forecast over the next 4 days the same.

While outside at the rear of the house we heard dogs barking. There were two long dog chains tied to a tree so we knew this property had/has dogs. Keep in mind we had been told the property is unoccupied as the owner had passed away.

We followed the barking and it was coming from the old horse stables. We went inside and we immediately knew this was not a good situation. It was extremely hot inside, the air very stale with no fresh air. In a corner closed stall was 2 large breed dogs. You could see they were older dogs and looked quite unkept and dirty. They were panting excessively, their breathing was somewhat laboured. They did not appear to have fresh drinking water as a bucket was overturned. We did not go inside the stall as there was a sign warning that the dogs may not be totally friendly. A broom handle was used to put fresh water through the stall door bars.

At this point, we determined these dogs were in distress and needed immediate help. Returning to the house, we approached the realtor and told him what we saw. He said that there is a family member that returns to the property to care for them. We described the condition of the dogs – he was not overly concerned. We knew those dogs could not stay there.

At the bottom of this post is the video taken yesterday. What do you think, are they in distress?

I called the PAWS Hotline (1.833.9.ANIMAL) and filed a report. I was very clear as to the conditions inside the stable block and the state of the two dogs – that they were seniors with excessive panting, no fresh water.

The PAWS Hotline operator was very good. She clearly supported my position that the dogs were in distress and needed immediate help. She said she would classify my report as an EMERGENCY. I asked her to explain what that categorization would mean. She said it would be sent immediately to the AWS Inspector out in that area for action. I confirmed there was someone on duty right now – she said yes. I asked for reference number for my report – she gave me one.

I went out to the property around 7:30pm. The dogs were now on these tie outs and the family member was on the property.

I explained why I was there and my concern for the dogs. I learned the dogs are 7 and 12 years of age. She told me that the dogs were in the stable block when people were on the property for the real estate showings, open houses and that the realtor asked her not to be on the property when perspective buyers were there.

I voiced my concern about having those large breed, senior dogs in those conditions for a few hours and she said they had to be put away and there was no where else to put them.

Now, this family member definitely appeared to care for the dogs but felt she had no choice but to put them in the stables while people were on the property.

So all this background leading up the point of the post….

Driving away from the property I called the PAWS Hotline back so I could update them on my filing as it was categorized as an EMERGENCY.

The operator (a different one from the one who took my initial report) said “oh that was not deemed an emergency – it was filed as just a regular complaint”.

WHAT? She said everything I listed: the heat inside the stable, the excessive panting, laboured breathing, no fresh water or ventilation DID NOT MEET THEIR CRITERIA AS AN EMERGENCY! Therefore the ticket was filed as regular.

I asked the response time for a “regular complaint” – 1 to 3 days!!!!

THIS IS WHY WE HAVE ZERO TRUST IN OUR PROVINCIAL ANIMAL WELFARE SERVICES!!!

Footnote – when I called AWS initially, I also reported the situation to Durham Regional Police. DRPS was at the property within 2 hours.