Legal Mandate Differentials: The Humane Society is Not that Humane

After speaking to Amanda Ellis at the Welland Humane society, I learned that there is no record of there being the ability to have animals put down if they are attacking or injuring the public on a regular basis. This is something that requires a specific legislative mandate that simply has not been implemented. Why? Because there are too many other issues that the city would like to deal with, coupled with the amount of tourism the region experiences limits their ability to prosecute. The ability for the public to protect themselves from these dangerous threats is now a vague matter.

5551 Valley Way Niagara Falls, Ontario is a long term residence that has multiple individuals suffering from mental illness and other forms of psychological conditions. Some of these involve extreme drug addiction, and or other forms of psychosis. The building itself has been responsible for housing some of the city's most deplorable criminals, addicts and other forms of underworld characters. Regardless of the fact that it is located across from the police station, it has absolutely nothing to clean up the environment. One of the major issues that transpired at this location is that of the two dogs owned by Barry Walsh. Both of the animals repeatedly attacked and killed other of the tenants pets, along with biting and damaging the tenants themselves. This includes attacking children who are simply walking by.

The above photograph features only some of the damage that has been done by these dangerous animals.

The issue involved two large dogs owned by someone who is receiving ODSP and has severe drug problems. His own personal issues have been allowed to damage those who are simply minding their own business. Four of the other tenants' cats were viciously assaulted by the dogs, and subsequently lost their lives. The large dogs, even if they are tied up to a tree outside of the motel, will still break off of the leash and charge citizens. This also resulted in a child needing 17 stitches, and still there was no recourse or repercussions from anyone who is supposed to be responsible for these issues. This means that the Humane Society, the S.P.C.A, the health department and the city did absolutely nothing to address these problems.

Looping

The issue with creating a loop seems to be the main way problems are solved in this area. If you call those who are supposed to be responsible for handling an issue, or those who are under normal circumstances supposed to be responsible for having an issue, you will be met with the same response. Calling the Humane Society to report dangerous animals results in the Humane Society telling you to call the Health Department. The Health Department subsequently will tell you to call the Humane Society, you will then have to explain to the Health Department you have already spoken to the Humane Society. After which, they will tell you to call the S.P.C.A or start guessing at which other department to pass off the very serious issue too. They will tell you to call the police, who will tell you to call Humane Society, who then tell you to call the Health Department, who will tell you to call the Humane Society. This will go on over, and over, and over again until they have their lunch break.

Another disturbing fact about these two dangerous animals is that one of them literally removed a section of a female's face during one of their random attacks, resulting in the individual needing facial reconstructive surgery. Still, because there is no legal mandate set in place, there was zero resolve from those with the apparently responsibility to do so. The result of this is interesting, because it took two and a half years of lobbying to actually get the attention of Amanda Ellis. She is the coordinator of the Welland Humane society, and has a direct connection with the crown prosecution office. She is the one who specifically told me that it takes 2 years for legal mandates he put in place. All the while, pets are being killed, children are being attacked and other people are being injured by dogs that are not being taken care of incorrectly by their drug addict owner.

This is what the owners of the dangerous animals look like. Drug addicted, dirty and dangerous.

2020 marks the date the animals were finally removed and ultimately destroyed humanely by government officials. Unfortunately, this took two and a half years of calls, photographs, interviews and complaints with different city officials who refused to do absolutely anything about the situation. The only reason they chose to act, was because they were specifically told that if they did not act immediately then information pertaining to their negative and negligent pretenses are going to be published. This is when they automatically decided that they were going to take the evidence that was going to be shown to the public. There have been zero mandate changes since then. The laws remain the same. There are no legal negative recourse actions for dog attacks on humans and pets alike in the Niagara Fall, Ontario Region.