Peace officer investigates animal abuse cases

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In a perfect world, Annette L. Brown would be out of a job.

Every pet would have a good home and every domestic animal would be well looked after.

But as the new peace officer for the Lloydminster SPCA, Brown knows first hand about the neglect that some animals can suffer from their owners.

"There are good days and bad days in this line of work," said Brown, a Cree/French resident of Lloydminster, Alberta.

"A good day is when I can save one animal, rescue it from an abusive situation and get it to a good loving home."

"A bad day is when I have to pick up an abandoned animal, discarded by the owner as if it were dirty rag. That animal is scared, does not know me, or why I am taking it away from its home," said Brown.

Certified in May, she has been busy fielding calls, complaints and facts about abuse.

"To do this job, you have to have a feeling for animals and know they have rights. They can't talk. You have to talk for them, put yourself in their paws. No one wants to go without food, water or shelter," said Brown.

To become certified as a peace officer, you apply to Alberta Justice to get your licence. Training takes place at the depot where RCMP

officers take their investigators' course.

"To do this job well, you have to have good investigation skill and be able to fit pieces of a puzzle together. We shoot photos of abuse scenarios like 'paddling', the marks that mistreated cows make thrashing with their legs, when they have been down for days too weak to get up," says Brown.

Alberta has a comprehensive Animal Protection Act in place with tough penalties of up to $10,000 in fines, and/or up to six months in jail for convictions of abuse.

Investigating rural and urban areas in a 60-kilometer radius around Lloydminster, Brown has not encountered aggression from people. If

she did, she could ask for RCMP backup.

"Most people are OK when we are checking an abuse complaint. They know they have done wrong. We are not yet certified to carry a firearm to put down an animal in severe distress when a vet is not available," said Brown.

Members of the public do not put themselves in jeopardy when phoning in a complaint about animal abuse to the RCMP or the SPCA.

"If they see something and give me a call, we keep it completely confidential. You could be called upon as a witness to identify abuse in court. If I go to a scene where an animal is badly beaten and lying down, I am my own witness," said Brown.

The SPCA frequently gets calls about livestock left without food and water.

"Usually the animals are in fields with no grass or supplements of grain.

It is important to make sure that all domestic animals are going into winter with a good body condition. Outdoor pets need adequate food, water and insulated shelter from the wind. Even a big husky with a good coat can't hold out long once the wind gets to him. Dogs locked up in kennels need to get out for walks," said Brown.

Brown recently negotiated a scenario with the city, where a Cree Elder, unable to pay the impound on a stray pup, was given an opportunity with her kids to work it off.

"If I charge somebody and we don't go to court, sometimes they can work it off at the shelter. Rather than a slap on the wrist, we let them see that these animals just want a home and to be loved by somebody. We love them as much as we can, but they need someone to call their own. It is a real eye-opener for kids to watch us keep abandoned kittens alive on a bottle," said Brown.

Local schools tour the SPCA and Brown is creating a classroom program to educate about the needs of pets and domestic animals.

"It is a program I would like to take to First Nation, public and Catholic school classrooms, if requested. Kids need to 'educate on abuse' first hand, to understand that it shouldn't be happening," said Brown.

"I have found that Native people in our area take good care of their animals. They make their pets part of the family. That good connection with animals is part of our spirituaity," said Brown.

The Lloydminster SPCA currently has a sad-looking Rottweiler on death row.

Trained to attack and protect his owner's property, he was caught running at large. He was impounded, and considered too dangerous for SPCA staff to handle. Unless his owners come forward, his fate is sealed.

"Animals don't need abusive training to make them more aggressive. Pet dogs have a natural instinct to protect their families. They know when something is not right. It is different with police dogs trained to chase down bad guys. A dog trained to be aggressive could mistake a visiting child and injure that child. I have seen people train 'attack' dogs and the terrible problems it can cause," said Brown.

The SPCA does not take calls on wild animals, which are handled by Fish and Wildlife. City bylaws deal with barking complaints, strays and cleanliness in yards.

The SPCA does try to regulate and educate about the neutering and spaying of pets.

"The Vermilion College brings their vet-techs to the Lloydminster SPCA to neuter our male cats. Supervised by a vet, they get the practice and we get our cats fixed. Neutered animals live longer. The cost of raising puppies and kittens is high and they never have just one, the owner might want. Do the rest end up at the SPCA and get put to sleep? We are trying to run a no-kill shelter. If disease goes through or we are full, sometimes we have no choice," said Brown.

"Volunteers are welcome to help with walking, grooming, and fundraising. Local stores donate broken bags of pet food. We get city funding, public and business donations, but are sometimes only surviving on a month-to-month basis," said Brown.

"My job as a peace officer is to stop the abuse of animals, raise awareness and help educate a new generation of responsible and loving pet owners."