Agency could strip B.C. zoo of accreditation

The organization that sets standards for animal care at zoos across Canada says it may strip a B.C. facility of its accreditation if allegations of animal neglect against it are proven.

The British Columbia SPCA forwarded criminal and animal abuse charges to Crown counsel against the Mountain View Conservation Centre in Fort Langley, B.C., this week when a giraffe at the facility died after being sedated for an emergency hoof-trimming procedure.

A probe into the private zoo began in November 2009 after a group of ex-employees and volunteers contacted the SPCA with allegations the centre failed to properly care for dozens of injured and dying animals – in some cases euthanizing them in an inhumane way.

Bill Peters, the national director of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums, says his organization is taking the allegations against Mountain View very seriously and will take "whatever action is necessary" if it is found one of their accredited facilities does not comply with its code of ethics and standards for animal care -- heralded as among the toughest in the world for zoos and aquariums.

"We keep tabs on things going on at our institutions," he told ctvbc.ca in a telephone interview from Ottawa. "Often we just get a report from the facility if there are concerns. But if it's more than that, we have a team of professional inspectors to address it."

Two CAZA inspectors recently returned from Mountain View after spending several days speaking to staff and conducting an independent review. A report is now being considered by CAZA's accreditation commission and board of directors, who will decide if the breeding facility and conservation centre still deserves its blessing.

"If there are serious concerns in our judgment that would mean the facility is no longer accredited," Peters said.

The B.C. SPCA believes it has a strong case against Mountain View, saying the death of Jerome the giraffe could have been avoided if the animal's hooves were trimmed regularly.

Marcie Moriarty told ctvbc.ca they have evidence from the animal's necropsy, or animal autopsy, that the animal was in pain before its death – proving the facility was, at the very least, criminally negligent in Jerome's death.

"He was suffering," Moriarty said. "It's tragic."

What it means

There is an ongoing debate about what effect pulling the accreditation would actually have for Mountain View.

Julie Woodyer, the campaigns director for Zoo Check, an animal protection charity dedicated to monitoring the interests and well-being of wild animals, says CAZA's accreditation is irrelevant because it is not an enforcement agency and doesn't affect how the average person would view the facility.

"Let's face it. Most people don't go to a zoo and look for that piece of paper," Woodyer told ctvbc.ca from Toronto. "In the end it doesn't matter. Some of the best facilities in Canada don't have accreditation and some of the very bad facilities are accredited."

Woodyer says CAZA, an organization made up of animal industry professionals, will not likely pull Mountain View's accreditation because it is hesitant to draw criticism against its own members and draw its reputation into disrepute.

"It's like asking the tobacco industry in the 1950s if they're worried about people getting cancer from smoking. Of course they're going to say no – they want you to keep smoking. They are an industry organization whose role is to protect the industry – not protect animals or employees."

But staff at CAZA accredited facilities say the regulatory agency represents a gold standard in wild animal care standards within Canada – and no credible organization would operate without it.

"They're the only standard and the only thing you should be a part of," Jody Henderson of the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove, B.C., told ctvbc.ca.

Henderson says facilities spend thousands of dollars and undergo rigorous testing to be CAZA accredited. "If you want to be recognized in our industry it's a no-brainer."

If convicted for an animal cruelty charge under B.C. law, Mountain View owner Gord Blankstein could face a five-year prison term or $10,000 fine. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the maximum is six months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Julie Woodyer doubts the facility would face a heavy penalty, even if it was found guilty of the charge.

"The danger is that the judge will give just a slap on the wrist. In the past that's happened a lot and I wouldn't be surprised it again."