A volunteer wearing protective gloves removes a distressed cat from its cage inside the Toronto Humane Society building in November. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)

About 30 Toronto Humane Society employees returned to work Tuesday for the first time since the animal shelter was raided last month and several senior staff members were charged with animal cruelty.

After a five-week closure, the organization opened its River Street headquarters to the employees at around 9 a.m. ET Tuesday.

The staff were allowed to return because the Toronto Humane Society obtained a court order last week saying it could resume operations.

The returning staff will be handling financial and administrative tasks, and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will still be responsible for animal care.

"I think it will improve operations for the Toronto Humane Society," said Rosaline Ryan, a spokeswoman for the OSPCA. "For all of us, the first priority should — and will — be the animals."

Ryan couldn't say how much longer the Ontario agency would need to finish its investigation at the shelter, adding that staff with the provincial and Toronto groups will work "as collegially as possible" to ensure the animals receive proper care.

The OSPCA raided the humane society in November and said it found animals in such poor health that four of them had to be put down.

The Ontario group alleges many of the animals were neglected, including dozens left to die in their cages without proper care and nutrition. The society's former president, Tim Trow, and four senior employees were arrested and charged with animal cruelty after the raid in November.

The building is still closed to the public. There was no official word on when that will change, or when animal adoptions might resume.

Ryan said the OSPCA's lead investigator, Kevin Strooband, told her Tuesday that due to disease, conditions, age and animal temperaments, only 50 to 60 of the more than 1,000 animals at the shelter are currently adoptable.

'Unending occupation' had to stop

Bob Hambley, new president of the humane society, said Tuesday he is pleased the court recognized that the "unending occupation of the shelter had to stop."

He also said in a statement that staff are "very happy to be returning" to resume business operations. The shelter board is hiring an interim executive director and will also bring in a board of animal care experts to advise the organization, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Hambley added he will not address legal matters in the media, but in the courts. A court action was filed last week by the humane society, accusing the Ontario organization of defamation, trespassing and negligent investigation.

"This has been a difficult five weeks for all of us as we have been prevented from doing what we always strive to do, which is to treat sick, injured and abandoned animals," Hambley said.

"We look forward to updating everyone on when the THS will reopen to the public again and recommence adoptions."

Until the shelter's headquarters reopen, suspected cases of animal cruelty or suffering can be reported to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or to the City of Toronto's animal services department.

People looking to adopt pets can contact the city's downtown animal services office, the humane society's Victoria Park Avenue branch or the Etobicoke Humane Society.

With files from The Canadian Press