The president of the Toronto Humane Society faces charges of animal cruelty following a Globe and Mail investigation launched in May.

Since the summer, the newspaper and reporter Kate Hammer used online journalism techniques to enhance coverage of the story.

Part one of Hammer’s three-part investigation was launched with video, photo galleries and examples of medical charts from the animal shelter.

The Animal Kennel Card for a 13-year-old, diabetic, black and white cat named Comet reads, “Found dead … around 7:45 am by Andy and Shannon” after four months in the shelter.

Additional ways to enhance this story online:

• A map of the shelter’s layout: offices, clinical space, animal pens and cages, and the location of the much-reported mummified cat.
• A time-line detailing the months of mismanagement when the shelter allegedly fell into disarray.
• A wiki or database with the current condition of the estimated 1,100 animals that have been removed from the shelter. Following the OSPCA raid on Thursday, four animals have already been euthanized.

Also included in the Globe coverage: a podcast of a four-minute interview with Tim Trow, the man now facing accusation of animal cruelty. “I’ve been volunteering here my entire life,” he says. “It’s a wonderful place… We’ve spoken for those who can’t speak for themselves. It entails what our charter calls instilling a humane public sentiment, which nowadays we would call humane education. Trying to get better laws to protect animals and caring for animals, trying to help sick animal, trying to calm frightened animals.”

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals alleges Trow ordered veterinarians to falsify medical records after his Pit Bull attacked and injured a cat, which was then left to bleed in a cage for an hour. Along with Trow, who is a volunteer, head vetrinarian Steve Sheridan and three others face criminal charges of animal cruelty for mismanaging a shelter where animals were allegedly denied food and water and left to suffer and die in their cages.

Other tales of the River Street shelter’s alleged dark side trickled out yesterday [Thursday, November, 26] as OSPCA investigators revealed what they say they found inside: dirty facilities, a dehydrated cat who hadn’t seen a vet in weeks, and a mummified cat in a cage in the ceiling panels.

A photo gallery warns readers that images may be “graphic and disturbing.” Before getting through all 18 images, I stopped short at the sight of a small feline with bulbous, cancerous growths on its eyes. Disturbing, indeed. One comment with more than 400 approving readers suggests what’s most disturbing:

i cant think of a single way this can be justified.

The newspaper’s use of online journalism is a step in the right direction and the Toronto Star is competing with its own multimedia coverage.