The Toronto Humane Society’s new executive director, quietly appointed a week ago, was the subject of allegations related to the OSPCA’s well-publicized raid of the downtown shelter last year.
Garth Jerome is among a group of personnel named in a document forming the basis of the search warrant executed in November. In that 140-page document, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals details hundreds of allegations against THS administration, many pertaining to former president Tim Trow.
Citing an interview with a staff doctor, one item alleges Mr. Jerome – who was a microbiologist at the time before being promoted to facilities manager late last year – improperly treated kittens at the shelter.
“It was discovered that in order to facilitate the ease of kitten feeding, that sick kittens had been mixed in with the healthy kittens at the direction of microbiologist Garth Jerome, thereby placing the healthy kittens at risk of disease,” the warrant document alleges.
“Many kittens in fact became infected and some died… The decision to mix sick and healthy kittens [was] taken without consultation with veterinary staff,” the document continues, noting many kittens were found in the room “sick, dehydrated and suffering.”
Frank Addario, a lawyer acting for the THS, pointed out that none of the allegations have been proven in court.
“I would be very reluctant to place much weight on untested allegations,” Mr. Addario said, noting documents such as this one “tend to give an incomplete picture.”
The OSPCA, which is involved in protracted legal proceedings with the THS, declined to comment on Mr. Jerome’s appointment, but a lawyer for the provincial society said the warrant document would have included only evidence considered to be credible.
Rosaline Ryan, an OSPCA spokeswoman, suggested Mr. Jerome’s appointment could be overturned if a new board is elected, a move the provincial society is pushing for in court.
For his part, Mr. Jerome said he was unaware he had been named in the warrant document, but declined to comment on the allegations because of the ongoing court proceedings.
He said his new appointment will present a “huge challenge” as the THS struggles to return to normal operations in the aftermath of the OSPCA raid. Representatives from the provincial society remain on-site at the River Street shelter, tasked with overseeing animal care.
The OSPCA have powers similar to police when dealing with issues of animal welfare, and in November, investigators executed a search warrant at the downtown facility, alleging a record of animal cruelty. Top officials, including Mr. Trow, face criminal charges.
“It has been a really, really difficult time for us as an organization,” Mr. Jerome said. “But having said that, I think we as a management team and the OSPCA, we’ve set aside a lot of our professional differences and we’re working towards one common goal, and that is to secure the future of the animals in this facility.”
While he was reluctant to offer criticism of the shelter’s past management, Mr. Jerome said now is the time to “sharpen and refine” policies.
THS president Bob Hambley called Mr. Jerome the “ideal” person to lead the shelter forward and to “make changes to the operations of the organization to better care for the animals.”
Mr. Hambley had vowed to hire a new executive director for this purpose back in November, though at the time he suggested the position would be interim. Prior to last year’s raid, the THS did not have an executive director.
Born and raised in Johannesburg, Mr. Jerome holds a degree in microbiology. Before coming to Canada, he worked as a veterinary technologist in South Africa, then went on to manage a food company and ultimately direct a laboratory.
He moved to Toronto in 2008 to work as the staff microbiologist at the THS, where in addition to lab duties, he was responsible for supervising veterinary technicians and assistants.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.