Sudbury, Ont., rescue centre scrutinized for ability to care for animals passes inspection

A Sudbury pet store and education centre, which faced scrutiny over its ability to care for its animals, has since passed inspection.

Northern Exotics, is part pet store and part education centre. The facility largely houses rescued reptiles that are relinquished or abandoned. 

An organization called World Animal Protection recently investigated the facility, and concluded Northern Exotics did not provide enough space for its animals.

Following that report, Northern Exotics owner Dennis Epp said a provincial inspector visited the facility — and passed it. 

He said while animal welfare organizations are important, the report was harsh and at times factually incorrect, particularly in identifying certain species of animals.

"To me it matters. Getting the difference, like understanding the difference between animals, especially, when you're an advocacy group talking about animals," Epp said. 

Michèle Hamers, with World Animal Protection, conducted the investigation which looked at 11 facilities across Ontario. 

She said the report is not intended to villainize any establishments, but rather bring attention to the ongoing issue of animal welfare in Ontario. She added that, although Northern Exotics passed its most recent inspection, it doesn't detract from the report's main point: Ontario government's animal welfare regulations and protections are weak.

"Ontario is the only province that doesn't regulate it accurately. And is the only province that still has roadside zoos," she said.

Hamers said that any inaccuracies in the report were honest mistakes and that the report was vetted by multiple people at the organization. 

Susan Nance, is an animal historian with the University of Guelph. She's also the author of multiple books on the subject of animal exhibits in Canada and the U.S.

She said as good as some people's intentions might be, the only way to curb the issue of caring for exotic animals in Ontario is for the government to ban the sale and trade of them altogether.

"The only people who should keep these animals in captivity are people who are specialists with veterinary training or similar academic training in the specific needs of those animals. 

"There's very little information and very little research on what these animals do in the wild. So very few people are able to speak to what the actual needs of these beings are. So everybody is sort of guessing, or drawing from some folklore or saying what they hope is the case," she said.