Quebec's Wildlife Ministry says it had 'several files open' on St-douard Zoo

Quebec's Wildlife Ministry had inspected the St-douardZoo "several times" before the owner's arrest Tuesdayand had requested improvements to the living conditionsofthe zoo'smenagerie, a ministry official said.

Normand Trahan, 69, wascharged with animal cruelty and neglectfollowing a Montreal SPCAcriminal investigation, which led to the seizure of roughly 100 animals at the zoo in Saint-douard-de-Maskinong, 120 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Franois Lelivre, a biologist with the Wildlife Ministry, confirmed Trahanhad the required permits to operate a zoo.

The owner had, however, been fined on several occasions between 2010 to 2016for minor offences.

"Our wildlife officers knew Mr.Trahan, and it was a place we visited often," said Lelivre, who could not provide more details because of the criminal charges Trahan is facing.

'We didn't have the legal tools': Wildlife biologist

Before the Wildlife Ministry overhauled its animal control program in 2018, taking away apermit was difficult even if a business had several strikes against it, said Lelivre.

"When we were on the groundand we found problems, we didn't have the legal tools we needed to intervene," he said.

Tougher regulations on keeping animals in captivity have been in place since last September,according to Lelivre.For example, zoos now have to respect minimumstandards for the size of cages and other enclosures.

Lelivre said the ministry had givenTrahan andother zookeepers until September 2020 to comply with the new rules. After that date, wildlife officials will have more powerto enforce regulations andlay charges,if need be.

Lelivre estimated there are about30businesses similar to Trahan's across Quebec.

Farm animals transferred

The St-douard zookeeperis expected back in court on June 21.

Meanwhile, the Montreal SPCA, which obtainedthe warrant to seize the animals, has begun thehuge undertaking oftransferring them to sanctuaries in Canada and the United States.

On Thursday, a first truckload of some 60 farm animals sheep, goats, ponies, alpacas and birds left the zoo,headed for one of the SPCA's partner farms inthe Montrgie region.

"They will be examined and cared for by a veterinarian," said Sophie Gaillard,animal advocacy director with the Montreal SPCA. "We will see, once the court proceedings are over, what will happen to them."

It will take several more weeks before the rest of the menagerie finds new homes, Gaillard said.Those includetigers, lions, zebras, kangaroos and other exotic animals.

"It's much more complex because these are not animals that are easy to deal with," said Gaillard.