|
Released: December 6, 2006 by the Ontario
SPCA Thornhill man
pleads guilty to two counts under the Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Act
NEWMARKET, ON, (December 6,
2006) – Carlo Panacci, 42, of Thornhill, Ontario
pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice,
Toronto West on December 1, 2006 to two counts
under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act for
failing to inspect live-holding traps at least
once a day and causing wildlife unnecessary
suffering.
On June 7, 2006 an Ontario SPCA
investigator attended a property in response to
a complaint and found two juvenile raccoons and
a mother raccoon in live-holding traps without
food, water or shelter. The raccoons were
trapped on the building's black roof on a sunny
day during which temperatures reached over 27
degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees F). The Ontario
SPCA removed the juvenile animals immediately to
relieve their suffering. Sadly, the mother
raccoon was already dead.
Necropsy results of the mother
raccoon were consistent with being left without
food and water, including dark and thickened
blood, empty intestinal and urinary tracts and
congested lungs and meninges (the three
membranes that envelop the brain and spinal
cord). The pathologist found no evidence of
pre-existing disease.
Further investigation revealed
that Panacci, operator of Cain Pest Control and
Cain Pest & Wildlife Control, had been hired by
the building's property manager to trap and
remove the raccoons. Panacci had placed the
traps on the roof on June 4, 2006 and did not
return to the site until the afternoon of June
7, 2006, after receiving a call regarding the
raccoons from the property manager the previous
evening. At the time of the call, the adult
female raccoon was alive.
Carlo Panacci received a $1,000
fine for failing to inspect the live-holding
trap once a day and a $1,500 fine for causing
wildlife unnecessary suffering.
"Wildlife removal companies, as
well as individuals who do live-trapping, must
act in a humane way in accordance with the law,"
says Ontario SPCA Acting Chief Inspector, Hugh
Coghill. "Failure to do so will not be tolerated
and will lead to prosecution."
To report suspected animal abuse
call the Ontario SPCA at 1-888-ONT-SPCA
(668-7722) extension 1, Crime Stoppers at
1-800-222-TIPS (8477), your local Ontario SPCA
branch, affiliated humane society or police.
To make a donation to the
Ontario SPCA call Cathy at 1-888-ONT-SPCA
(668-7722) extension 322.
Media Contact: Hugh Coghill
Ontario SPCA Acting Chief Inspector
1-888-ONT-SPCA (668-7722) ext. 342 or hcoghill@ospca.on.ca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ontario Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA):
Protecting animals since 1873, the Ontario SPCA
is a registered charity comprised of over 50
branches and affiliated humane societies relying
primarily on donations to fund animal
protection, care and rehabilitation for all
animals, government and industry advocacy, and
public education. The Ontario SPCA Act mandates
the Society to enforce animal cruelty laws and
provides Society investigators with police
powers to do so - making the Ontario SPCA unique
among animal welfare organizations in the
province. The Ontario SPCA is a member of the
Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the
World Society for the Protection of Animals, and
is affiliated with the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
<< back to main news page |
