ONTARIO COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=f68a3574-81b7-4744-85b2-b6eb00a217f4&k=25227

Craig Pearson, Windsor Star

Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2008

WINDSOR - City hall revoked the business licence Tuesday of embattled pet shop owner Donald Lafrance, who testified about Jesus, death threats and a conspiracy against him during a long and emotional hearing.

"I'm outraged," said Lafrance after the city's licensing commission voted unanimously to yank his licence. "If the animals were so abused as they say they were, why weren't any charges laid?

"The humane society was there five days earlier and all they could find was three sick cats that had earmites and one had a heart murmur.

"It's almost impossible trying to fight bureaucracy."

Lafrance's recent saga began when animal welfare workers went into his east-side Windsor Animal Rescue, licenced as Windsor Pet Shop, on Feb. 29 and found what they called dirty and unacceptable conditions. The city suspended his licence for two weeks pending a hearing.

Lafrance decided to close his store and tried to give away his animals, though the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society told him he could not give away pets unless they were certified healthy by a veterinarian.

Lafrance gave away some pets but surrendered 42 cats and 12 dogs to the humane society - 14 of the cats have since been euthanized.

Veterinarian Aimee Faner, director of animal care at the Windsor Essex County Humane Society, welcomed the ruling to shut Lafrance down.

"Justice has taken place," said Faner, who called Lafrance's place one of the worst examples of animal abuse she has ever come across and noted that all his animals required medical attention. "That pet store needed to be shut down."

The commission watched video, taken by humane society workers Oct. 23, 2007, which showed questionable conditions at Windsor Animal Rescue: dirty walls, cats housed with dogs or walking freely throughout, feces, newspapers apparently soiled with urine and a lack of bedding.

Lafrance asked that video taken by humane society workers Feb. 29 be shown as well. The second video appeared to  indicate conditions had improved, with freshly painted walls, straw bedding, and less mess.

Nevertheless, the three-person licensing commission sided with two city bylaw enforcement officers, two Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals agents who work at the humane society, and two veterinarians who characterized Lafrance's store as a nightmare for animals.

All spoke about a stench of urine so overpowering that some people could not stay in the shop's basement - where animals were caged. The vets cited a long list of ailments found, from parasites and malnutrition to eye and respiratory problems.

Coun. Ron Jones perhaps summed up the opinion of fellow commissioners, who all made a point of decrying Lafrance's store, when he said: "It's very, very important that we speak loudly and clearly that we will not tolerate animals in this city being treated that way."

In the end, commissioners went further than simply revoking Lafrance's pet shop licence. They voted to send a report to city council and to the Ontario Attorney General, calling for a minimum standard of care for all pet shops across the province.

Licencing commissioner Diane Sibley, who recommended revoking the Windsor Pet Shop licence, told council that Lafrance could always apply for another licence in the future. But she said the licensing commission would consider the revocation ruling in considering any future licence.

Lafrance said he hopes to open another store in the future and suggested he might simply move to a nearby jurisdiction that does not require pet shop licences.

But he said he would have his "ducks lined up" in order to avoid the same experience.

Lafrance, who also faces court charges, told the commission about the trials he has endured from what he calls an overzealous humane society.

"There is so much evidence that shows there is a conspiracy to close Windsor Animal Rescue," Lafrance testified, noting that he has an animal-care specialist's certificate from a correspondence course. "It's very wrong to do this."

He said he had medical records and computer equipment stolen - all the while finding hundreds of animals homes, which he said lessens the burden on the humane society.

But he said the public has been misinformed about him, given that he is a devout Christian, a father of four, and an animal lover who owns two dogs and two cats.

"My place was broken into in the middle of the night and they stole two laptop computers," said Lafrance in a raised and cracking voice, pointing out that an entire Facebook group is dedicated to criticizing him. "There have been death threats. You think this is right, all these allegations?

"Imagine having to barricade yourself in your apartment upstairs from the shelter because of death threats.

"Who is the criminal here? Me, who is trying to find homes for these animals, or them?"

Want a pet?

The Windsor-Essex County Humane Society has cats from Windsor Animal Rescue available for adoption, while dogs from the store will be available on the weekend. Call the humane society at 966-5751.