13 more join abuse complaint against private zoo

2009-12-17

Darcy Wintonyk, ctvbc.ca

Thirteen more former employees have joined an animal abuse complaint against a world-class conservation centre in Langley, B.C.

Twenty-one people, including four current employees, have lobbed an arsenal of allegations against the Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre. The centre, which cares for rare species like the Fishing Cat and Vancouver Island Marmot, is accused of euthanizing animals using inhumane methods, including using non-lethal shooting, box-cutters and hammers.

Todd Streu, who represents the group, said the additional complainants came forward to corroborate information first brought forward by eight people last week.

"We've bolstered the ranks and I hope this will counteract the claims this is just a group of disgruntled employees," he told ctvbc.ca Thursday.

In an interview earlier this week, owner Gord Blankstein said Mountain View had done nothing wrong, and all of the allegations against him were false. Blankstein could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Streu said the group has documentation from the facility showing a total of 207 animals have died at the facility in the past five years.

Malcolm Weatherston, a spokesperson for Mountain View, said the facility has nothing to hide.

"Every birth and death is on record -- as any facility does. We're dealing with each of the issues that have been raised." The investigation

An investigation into the centre's methods was launched two weeks ago by the SPCA after it received a complaint from animal protection charity Zoo Check.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Eileen Dreever, said staff expects the probe to be lengthy, with no resolution expected for several weeks. She said Blankstein was cooperating fully.

Earlier this week, B.C.'s Environment Minister, Barry Penner, said his staff would work with the SPCA to determine if the allegations were merited.

But the SPCA told ctvbc.ca a conservation officer with the ministry informed the agency they were not going to be looking into the investigation.

"They sent an email saying they would no longer be looking into the case," Marcie Moriarty, general manger of cruelty investigations for the B.C. SPCA, said.

"We have not been informed of why."

Suntanu Dalal, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, said late Thursday that staff will visit Mountain View on Friday and conduct an inspection. A conservation officer will also attend.

"That is what we are doing at this stage - gathering information to inform our investigation," Dalal said.

The allegations

Thomas Knight, a former bird and hoofstock manager at Mountain View, told ctvbc.ca he spoke publicly because of what he described as the "horrific euthanization" of an addax, an African antelope, he saw while working with the animals.

Knight said a staff member hit the animal on the head with a claw hammer repeatedly when attempts to kill it using a small-caliber gun were unsuccessful.

"It got away from him and it was bleeding and screaming and running around the yard."

The animal was eventually killed after having its throat slit, he said. The whole process took 30 minutes.

Knight, a Princeton University graduate with a master's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology, was laid off in mid-October and was given a month's compensation.

He rejects the suggestion former employees are speaking out because of a grudge against Blankstein, and said he's pleased more people are coming out of the woodwork.

"I'm sure its going to be very difficult for all of us. But I can sleep at night and I have to do what had to be done," he said.

"I would like to see changes put in place so this kind of thing don't happen again. Animals need to get proper care. This isn't very much to ask for."

The group has compiled case files dating back to 2004. The employees say they are only coming forward now because they recently became unionized, and feel their jobs will be protected.

Mountain View was co-awarded the Conservation Award by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) in 2006.