From the Niagara Falls Review:
Marineland says investigators with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found no signs of abuse or neglect during a surprise visit on Wednesday
The Niagara Falls attraction, in a statement released Thursday, said the inspection further confirms the park’s “total innocence to all allegations made by discredited activists.”
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From the Globe and Mail:
Ontario’s animal welfare agency laid five animal cruelty charges against Marineland on Friday, levelling allegations of mistreatment that were swiftly rejected by the amusement park.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the charges against the Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction relate to peacocks, guinea hens and black bears — and noted that further charges are pending.
The OSPCA said inspection officers and a veterinarian went to Marineland on Nov. 10 after receiving a complaint about alleged animal cruelty.
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From the Huffington Post:
Even if you don’t care about beluga whales or how animals are treated in captivity, you may still be interested in what’s happening at Marineland. In this age of widespread protest — from the Occupy Movement to the Québec student protests to the Arab Spring — Marineland reminds us that it is not just governments that may seek to silence their critics.
Marineland, a marine mammal park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, was the subject of an investigative series by the Toronto Star last year. The series was based in part on allegations by former employees, of abuse and mistreatment of animals. Marineland has denied and responded to the allegations, and is suing the Star as well as several of the former employees. Marineland has also set its sights on protesters and activists who demonstrate outside the park — launching lawsuits against at least two protestors — and has gone to Ontario courts for injunctions to order that protestors refrain from certain activities.
From Niagara This Week:
A year-long investigation by two law enforcement agencies into activities of the Niagara Parks Commission has failed to turn up any evidence of wrongdoing.
The joint forces investigation by the Niagara Regional Police and the Ontario Provincial Police was launched in the fall of 2011 as a result of public complaints. The probe centered on allegations of impropriety during past procurement of goods and services within the Commission.
From the Toronto Star:
Kiska, the killer whale, swims alone in her pool at Marineland, often followed by a trail of her own blood.
Her tail has been bleeding off and on since July but has been getting progressively worse, according to Christine Santos, who has been one of Kiska’s primary trainers. She described the bleeding as “gushing” last week.
Marineland lawyer Andrew Burns emailed the Star Tuesday saying allegations described by the paper were “seriously inaccurate, false, and if published are defamatory of Marineland, its veterinarians and Mr. Holer.”
The Star also has an article about how the shutdown of the Ontario government will affect the animal rights changes that were announced. The article is called Marineland: Ontario minister pledges to continue work to beef up animal protection despite house being shut
From Bullet News Niagara:
Juno Award-nominated singer Suzie McNeil, who sang the catchy jingle used in the familiar Marineland commercials, says she’s “shocked” by the allegations of animal neglect as made public in an investigative series published Wednesday and Thursday in The Toronto Star.
In a statement sent to Bullet News by her publicist, McNeil goes on to say she wants to further investigate the claims made by former employees who claim substandard conditions have made some sea mammals sick.
From 97.7 HTZ-FM:
Marineland is getting a 2nd look from an industry watchdog.
Inspectors with the Canadian Association of Zoos & Aquariums & the OSPCA will take a tour of the Niagara Falls amusement park.
This comes after public allegations from ex-trainers that Marineland’s animals are being mistreated.
CAZA’s National Director says if their team finds animals in trouble, the OSPCA will pull the animals out of the park & Marineland will be stripped of its CAZA membership.
From the Niagara Falls Review:
…In a story published in a Toronto newspaper Wednesday, Demers said the poor conditions and a lack of action by park owner John Holer is what made him quit – and subsequently break a non-disclosure agreement by going public.
The public reaction to the report has been significant, with Marineland trending on Twitter. Many called for the park to be shut down by the City of Niagara Falls, but Mayor Jim Diodati said Wednesday it’s not something city hall has jurisdiction over.
“We don’t regulate or license them,” Diodati said. “We’re not involved in monitoring them, that’s another body. We make sure the property taxes are paid and that there are no other bylaw infringements taking place.”
The mayor defended the amusement park, saying he’s been going to Marineland since he was a youth and has never seen any signs of animal mistreatment…
From the Niagara Falls Review:
They won’t say how much it cost for the six-week rental of a carousel ride, but the Niagara Parks Commission says the proper bidding process was followed.
The Victorian Candy Lane carousel opened Saturday at Queen Victoria Place and the NPC says more than 700 rides were taken on the weekend — some at $3 each and some (for riders under five years old) were free.
Allegations about a lack of tenders have dogged the NPC in the past, but interim chairwoman Janice Thomson says things have changed.
Asked about the tendering process for the carousel, which will be part of the Winter Festival of Lights until Jan. 8, Thomson said, “We have a procurement policy and everything in the park should be procured through the process. We have management in place that is very strictly adhering to policy.”
From Niagara This Week:
The Ontario Provincial Police is investigating allegations of procurement wrongdoing at the Niagara Parks Commission. Bullet News has learned the Parks Commission’s own Niagara Parks Police requested the OPP look into the assertions in an attempt to ‘clear the air.’
Parks Police Chief Doug Kane confirmed he ‘recently’ made the call to the OPP, which is currently interviewing current and former staff members and current and former commissioners.
“It’s not a secret that there has been a number of allegations made over time and rather than us investigating those we thought we would send it to a totally independent agency such as the OPP,” Kane said. “They have no connection to the Niagara Parks Commission and this will let them conduct their own investigation.”
This was also reported by the Niagara Falls Review in the article OPP launches investigation into procurement practices at Niagara Parks Commission