Spruce Haven Zoo: the final showdown

Opponents of Spruce Haven Nature Park are mobilizing one last-ditch effort to take down the Sault's 44th most popular tourist destination.

Major players, including Zoocheck and CAZA (Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums), were all heard by City Council before it decided on Feb. 20 to 'grandfather' Spruce Haven.

The decision effectively exempts the menagerie on Third Line West from a new animal-control bylaw outlawing zoos within city limits.

So when the new bylaw comes back to City Council for final approval, Spruce Haven will be allowed to continue operating until Ben the Bear and his aging zoo-mates die natural deaths.

With the decision made, out-of-town lobbyists are unlikely to be invited back to the council chambers.

That leaves only ordinary citizens to fight to undo council's February decision.

Grassroots campaign

A grassroots lobbying effort, spearheaded by local residents Sara McCleary and Katherine MacRae, is now underway to try to close Spruce Haven.

"The truth is, it's in your hands now as residents," Julie Woodyer, campaigns director at Zoocheck, told a dozen Saultites attending an information meeting last week at Cafe Natüra.

"Council is probably not going to hear from us again," Woodyer said, piped into the meeting via speaker phone. "If any of you feel inclined, it would be helpful to speak directly at the council meeting."

"It can't hurt. I think they want to hear from local people. If anybody can get meetings with any of the councillors that voted in favour of the grandfather clause, we'd be happy to send someone up to assist with those meetings."

"It's critically important for the residents who live here in the Sault to step up, stand up and speak up on this issue of no grandfather clause," added Katherine MacRae.

"One of the biggest things is contacting council," said Sara McCleary.

"They might not respond. They might not even read the email. If they get enough emails saying that you support Zoocheck and what they want to do, they have to acknowledge it in some way, even if they briefly mention it in council and they still vote against it. Calling is especially good because then you know they're hearing you," McLeary said.

Missing councillors

The Feb. 20 vote to grandfather Spruce Haven was six to four.

Two councillors were missing, though: Ward 2's Sandra Hollingsworth and Ward 4's Lou Turco.

"That could change the vote right there," MacRae told last week's meeting. "If the two missing councillors were to vote against it, it would be six-six and would be up to the mayor to break the vote."

Except that Mayor Provenzano has declared a conflict on this issue, indicating that one of the parties involved is a former client.

Another procedural tactic might be to persuade either Ward 1 Councillor Steve Butland or Ward 2 counterpart Susan Myers – who moved and seconded the grandfathering motion – to ask that the matter be reconsidered.

A wolf escapes

Councillor Butland has already indicated he's thinking of doing that, concerned about reports that a wolf managed to escape last month from its enclosure at Spruce Haven.

Zoocheck's Julie Woodyer told a City Council meeting in February that the zoo's wolf enclosure consists of "essentially, deer fencing."

Spruce Haven owner Ken Marshall told the same meeting that the vast majority of complaints about the zoo have to do with enclosures and housing, not appearance or health of the animals.

Significant improvements are planned this year to Spruce Haven's enclosures, Marshall said.

As for the wolf's escape, the Marshall family says footprints were found around the wolf enclosure and they believe the animal that escaped was upset by intruders.

Ben the Bear

Meanwhile, one avid supporter of the nature park is Grade 4 student Peyton King.

"All the animals have a back-story like Ben," the nine-year-old says in a letter to SooToday.

"He was just a cub when he was abandoned and did not know how to hunt or to hibernate. Then Spruce Haven took Ben under their wing. If they did not keep him he would not have survived," Peyton says.

"Now Ben is a heathy, happy bear. I think that Spruce Haven Nature Park would like him to have his last breath there and so should you."

Much of the Spruce Haven controversy has focused on Ben, who has been at the zoo for 31 years.

"That bear was a runt bear, abandoned, and was brought to us by a collaboration of the local humane society and the MNR [Ministry of Natural Resources] and our police department," Ken Marshall says.

"The choice the police officer had to make when it was reported in a garbage can was to shoot it. They chose not to shoot it," Marshall told City Council.

Too old to move?

Zoocheck has offered to transfer Ben and any other displaced Spruce Haven carnivores to "legitimate sanctuary homes" at no cost to the Marshalls or the city.

Is Ben too old to be moved?

"Captive bears often live into their thirties," Woodyer says.

"This black bear could have many years ahead of him. I'm confident we can do it [move the bear] safely."

The Wild Animal Sanctuary, a 290-hectare facility in Colorado, has offered to take all of the Spruce Haven carnivores.

If that's considered too far for Ben to travel, Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Rosseau, Ontario has also offered to take Ben.

If the Marshalls feel an ongoing attachment to the bear, they'll be welcome to visit the animal there.

'A pretty darn generous offer'

Zoocheck's Woodyer maintains that the Spruce Haven property isn't appropriate for an animal sanctuary and she says her group wants to help the Marshalls with a succession plan.

She says the animals can be moved within three months.

"That's a pretty darn generous offer," says MacRae.

But the Marshalls have every right to accept or reject the offer as they see fit.

So far, they've shown little interest.

City Solicitor Nuala Kenny, who's preparing the new animal control bylaw, says the city has neither the resources nor the expertise to properly regulate zoos.

Kenny recommends prohibiting them.

Reached this week, Councillor Butland said he was still contemplating a reconsideration motion.

Butland declined to say whether he had asked for the matter to be discussed at next Monday's council meeting.

Either way, Monday's meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.