SHOCK: Not charged but animal police took his cows anyway and billed him $400K in boarding fees — He fought back and won. They appeal

Warsaw beef farmer Walter Ray was never charged and his beef animals were not in distress. But he still lost his herd and has to pay a lot of money.

The 77-year-old Ray largely prevailed at a provincial tribunal in his recent cost dispute with Ontario’s animal police. The tribunal slashed the nearly $400,000 animal care bill sought by the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS). But PAWS is appealing the decision.

Animal Care Review Board adjudicator Susan Clarke ruled Aug. 8 that Ray must pay only $14,276 of the $391,196 incurred by PAWS after its officers seized his healthy beef herd before Christmas and held them at expensive foster farms for months. Ray was billed between $20 and $50 per day per animal.

The PAWS demand stood at $144,000 when Ray’s appeal was initially heard in March and rose to more than $391,000 by the time the animals were finally sold in early May.

In her written decision, Clarke noted that she was not convinced that the removal of the cattle was necessary since the animal police made six visits to the farm before taking them away.