Second water tampering at SPCA suspected
Animal shelter sending sample to lab for testing
Evan Kiyoshi French
Northern News Services
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A sample of contaminated drinking water found in a tank at the SPCA is on its way to a lab for testing, according to the shelter's president, Nicole Spencer.
Melissa Zizek of the NWT SPCA peers into a water tank which was found to contain a mysterious greasy liquid in August. A sample of contaminated drinking water found in this tank on Monday is on its way to a lab for testing, according to SPCA president Nicole Spencer. - NNSL file photo |
Spencer said she was shocked to learn that their outdoor water tank - used to water around 20 dogs currently in the shelter's care - appears to have been tampered with again.
In August, shelter employees raised the alarm that an unknown oily substance was found in the shelter's drinking water.
The water was dumped and the animals were monitored for health complications but the mystery was not solved.
Spencer said she felt "deflated" when she heard the mystery substance had returned on Monday but this time the contaminated water hasn't been dumped, and a sample was on it's way to a city lab for testing that afternoon, she said.
"It was early afternoon (on Monday) when we discovered it," said Spencer.
"One of our board members came in and said, 'You've got to come look at this.' We looked inside and it was exactly the same as before. We've got a sample we're going to get tested. We've all looked at it ... nobody can identify it."
Spencer said she didn't expect to face this problem again so soon.
"We haven't even had a chance to think about what to do," she said, adding that the outdoor tank will be drained and won't be refilled.
Spencer said she's positive someone is tampering with the water. A truck tops off both their water tanks, but only the outdoor tank is filled with the strange substance, she said.
"It can't be from the truck, because the indoor water supply is filled at the same time and there's nothing in there. The last time this happened the tank was completely disinfected."
Spencer said there are three cameras on the property and the board will have to consider installing another.
"We have three cameras, one at the front looking at the entrance of the building, and the other two are at the corners looking at the side of the building, looking out focused on the animals," she said.
"We would need to have another one installed for the back."
Const. Elenore Sturko, spokesperson for the Yellowknife RCMP, said police are asking for help from the public to advance the investigation.
Sturko said the contaminant has not been identified but any person found tampering with SPCA's water can be charged with committing mischief.
That could mean fines of up to $2,000 or six months in prison.
Dawn Curtis, spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said water sample testing takes an average of 10 days, although they can be rushed in certain circumstances.
