Cruelty charge for Humane Society official

TORONTO, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The Toronto Humane Society's president faces charges of criminal animal cruelty after a mummified cat was found in the group's shelter, officials said.

Investigators for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also found animals going without proper treatment, dirty facilities, and evidence of treatment records being falsified, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported Saturday.

Johanna MacNaughton, a Society veterinarian, resigned in April and later helped in the investigation.

"A large number of these animals ... will need significant medical care," she said.

Society President Tim Trow denied the allegations. "I've never been unkind to an animal in my life," he said.

OSPCA inspectors said the mummified cat was found in a live trap containing an empty dish. It may have starved to death in the shelter's ceiling as veterinarians and animal-care staff worked in rooms beneath it, they said.

Trow was released from custody Friday morning. Bail conditions forbid him from visiting or working at the shelter or contacting staff, the newspaper said.