Animal shelter fight goes to Yukon Supreme Court

The fight for control of the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter in Whitehorse is heading to Yukon Supreme Court.

Acting president Shelley Cuthbert said the board will fight a Yukon government order to re-instate suspended board members and to hold a special meeting to elect a new board of directors.

The animal shelter is operated by board members of a non-profit society and its operations are regulated by the Yukon Societies Act.

Disputes among humane society board members have been a regular occurrence over the years, but when Shelley Cuthbert was elected vice-president last year she cleaned house of the critics.

"You might not like us as people, but to take it to a personal level is unnecessary," said Cuthbert. "You may not like us as people but we are here for the animals."

Cuthbert ousted dissident board members and closed the society books. Former board members complained they were suspended without cause and barred from the animal shelter.

"The society is now ruled and has been ruled, ever since the new acting president is there, by a power of one," said former Humane Society Director Madeleine Girard.

A six-month investigation by government authorities has concluded Cuthbert's actions cross the line. A 19-page ruling issued this week ordered Cuthbert to re-instate the board members who were denied membershipand call an immediate election for new directors.

Cuthbert emailed the investigator "to inform you we'll be proceeding to Supreme Court for a jurisdictional review of your orders."