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25 | W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,A ugust 29,2019 w aterloochronicle.caP. 519-886-1550 TTY. 1-866-786-3941waterloo.ca NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE #1 ROOSEVELT AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION The City of Waterloo is proceeding with reconstruction works on Roosevelt Avenue from Warrington Drive to Erb Street West. The work includes replacement of watermain, sanitary and storm sewers, as well as road reconstruction for the full extent of the project. As part of the road reconstruction, a new sidewalk is proposed to be added to one side of the road. Weather permitting and pending Council approval, construction will be starting on or about May 6, 2020, with completion expected by the end of October 2020. More information about the Roosevelt Avenue reconstruction project will be provided at an upcoming PIC. Date: Thursday, September 12th, 2019 Time: Drop-in anytime between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Place: Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex - Hauser Haus Room 101 Father David Bauer Drive,Waterloo, ON N2L 0B4 If you have any questions or concerns about the project, please contact: Caroline Amyot, P.Eng. Telephone: (519) 886-1550 ext. 78253 E-Mail: caroline.amyot@waterloo.ca Gordon Murray, P.Eng. Telephone: (519) 585-7358 E-Mail: Gordon.murray@stantec.com The Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society changed its name and implemented a new animal cruelty hot- line earlier this year. We asked senior manag- er of marketing and com- munications, Calla Spen- cer, five questions about those changes. Why did the humane society change its name? The Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society became the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth on July 6. It previously provided animal protection services to Wa- terloo Region (excluding Cambridge and North Dumfries), Stratford and all of Perth County. It now pro- vides services to Waterloo Region, including Cam- bridge and North Dumfries, Stratford, Perth County, and supporting services for Huron County. Why was a new animal cruelty hotline created? The Ontario SPCA and its appointed officers used to investigate matters of an- imal cruelty in Ontario. As of June 28, the Ontario SPCA ceased cruelty inves- tigations in Ontario and passed the reigns to the On- tario government. As of June 29, animal protection services in Onta- rio now fall under the Min- istry of the Solicitor Gener- al. Officers are now ap- pointed by a new chief in- spector and consist of inspectors under the Minis- try of the Solicitor Gener- al's team, as well as inspec- tors from a select number of affiliate societies, including KWSPHS. How does it work? Our humane society has a direct line where mem- bers of the public can report cruelty concerns at 519-745- 5615, ext. 228. The Ministry of the Solicitor General has also setup a 24-7 hotline at 1- 833-9ANIMAL (1-833-926- 4625) that the public can use to report. Calls can be made anonymously. The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth was com- mitted to providing animal protection to our communi- ties and therefore notified the Solicitor's Generals Of- fice of our interest, skills and ability to continue in this role. In turn, the Solici- tor General's Office, through the chief inspector, appointed inspectors with- in our organization, and we continue to provide this ser- vice. How many cruelty calls does the humane so- ciety field on an annual basis? The humane society in- vestigated 769 cruelty com- plaints last year and 788 in 2017. We have had roughly the same number of calls in the last two years. Of course, our hope is that with education, we will gen- erate more responsible pet owners and see a decrease in cruelty cases as a result. What recourse does the humane society have when it comes to animal cruelty? The humane society has a team of inspectors that in- vestigates cruelty concerns in our regions. Depending on the situation, our inspec- tors have the right to issue orders, obtain and execute warrants, lay charges and where an animal is deemed in immediate distress, re- move an animal from its owners. Our inspectors bring ap- plicable charges forward to crown attorneys, and from there, the courts determine the outcome for the individ- ual(s). Outcomes could include, but is not exclusive of, fines, restitution payments, prohi- bition on the ownership of animals for a certain length of time (months, years, or lifetime ban), and jail time. Furthermore, an individual may be charged under pro- vincial animal welfare legis- lation, or under the criminal code, depending on the se- verity of the offence commit- ted. HOW DO I MAKE AN ANIMAL CRUELTY COMPLAINT? BILL JACKSON bjackson@kitchenerpost.ca Specialized animal crimes unit in police forces could help combat animal cruelty. Shutterstock photo NEWS NEW HOTLINE AND RESPONSIBILITY NOW FALL UNDER DIFFERENT MINISTRY