New animal cruelty investigator deals with 'heartbreaking' cases

The Thunder Bay and District Humane Society's new full-time animal cruelty investigator is keeping busy.

Since he started this spring, the number of reports coming in has nearly tripled, Jeremy Gardiner said. And he believes a new provincial hotline for animal cruelty calls — 310-SPCA — has made a difference.

"I don't think it's that the cruelty's gone up, per se. It's just people have a way to report it now … I guess people are getting aware that we are here, and we are active and doing what we need to be doing now."

Gardiner, who works on cases involving farm animals, as well as house pets, said he dealt with 27 cases in August alone.

His services cover a large area —White River to the Manitoba border. But there are plans to hire a second investigator. Gardinder said he also tries to connect with OPP in other towns so that he can walk them through animal cruelty calls.

Gardiner noted many of the cases he deals with have to do with improper veterinary care, people not feeding their animals properly, or not providing proper shelter.

"It's pretty heartbreaking what people can do to their animals,” he said.

Gardiner has the same authority as police officers do to enforce animal cruelty laws. He can lay charges, issue orders, and take animals away if necessary. But he says he tries to educate people first.

It's a tough job, but a rewarding one, Gardiner added.

"I'm an animal lover … [and] my background is in law enforcement. [This job is] the best of both worlds. You get to deal with animals every day and pet puppies and kittens and then you get to do what you can to help them."