A lawyer hired by the Toronto Humane Society is taking investigators to task for the public nature of their probe into allegations of animal cruelty at the society's shelter, saying it has been carried out in a tabloid-like manner.

Betsy, a grey tabby cat seized at the Toronto Humane Society's shelter on Thursday, is suffering from tongue ulcerations and an eye ulceration. (CBC)

Five senior officials with the society, including former President Tim Trow, have been charged with animal cruelty under the provincial Animal Welfare Act. The society's River Street animal shelter was raided last Thursday by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) and Toronto police.

The OSPCA then executed a search warrant on the shelter — where around 1,000 animals live — and is investigating conditions there.

Trow and the other officials face criminal charges along with those under the provincial legislation.

Defence lawyer Frank Addario slammed what he called a "tabloid-style investigation."

"I don't think it's right or orthodox or principled to be revealing the investigation minute-by-minute as a search warrant is being executed," Addario said Wednesday.

"It doesn't do justice to the dignity of the judge's order granting the search warrant."

The OSPCA has been very public in its investigation, holding news conferences, providing updates to reporters and conducting a media tour of the shelter.

OSPCA lawyer Chris Avery said communication with media was necessary in order to ensure "the public knows that the animals are well cared for and the reasons we're here."

"Every action we've taken in this and every case is to uphold the public interest," he said.

Clients 'extremely upset' by allegations

But Addario said there are long-standing differences between the humane society and the OSPCA.

Several of his clients, members of the Toronto Humane Society board of directors, are "extremely upset at the suggestion that they would be a party to cruelty towards animals," he said.

Addario expects all the allegations will be proven false in court.

The society hired Addario to represent several board members charged with violating the provincial animal welfare law, including new president Bob Hambley.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Addario said the shelter was inspected on Nov. 19 by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario and received re-accreditation. The OSPCA raid came just four days later.

He also said that Revenue Canada conducted an audit last September and did not find anything untoward.

But Avery countered that there would be no raid if there were no grounds to investigate.

After the raid, the OSPCA said it found animals in such poor health that four had to be put down. On Friday, investigators said they found a mummified cat in the shelter, which one OSPCA official described as a "house of horrors."

Avery alleges the Toronto society is reluctant to euthanize sick or dying animals and blames management for dictating euthanasia policy without regard for the animals' best interests.

The shelter remains closed as the OSPCA continues its investigation.

With files from The Canadian Press