13/11/2025
WARNING - LONG 🐾 🐾 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY - 10 Years Since the Montreal Gazette Exposé — 12 Years Since I Went Undercover
It’s been 12 years since I first went undercover into the Animal Rescue Network (ARN) then led by its founder, infamous hoarder Barbara Lisbona — and it was 10 years ago on the 11th) since the Montreal Gazette published the powerful exposé that changed everything.
On November 11th 2015, the Gazette ran a front-page story and two full inside pages, exposing the heartbreaking conditions inside what was supposed to be a rescue.
The smell was overpowering. The walls were stained with urine. Cats were sick, malnourished, and stacked in cages — hundreds of them. I have been scarred forever by what I saw.
I went back again on January 7, 2014, determined to make sure this couldn’t be ignored. When MAPAQ failed to act, we took our findings to the media.
The Gazette’s reporter didn’t just publish our story — he conducted a deep investigation, interviewing volunteers, witnesses, and insiders, uncovering years of neglect hidden behind closed doors.
In my opinion, it became one of the most significant animal-welfare stories in Quebec’s history.
Over the years, Barbara Lisbona tried to run me over several times. I received death threats. We were harassed and followed.
Still, we refused to back down and neither did the courageous people who stood beside me: Neil Sullivan, Darryl, Patricia, Ursula, Mr. Beauchamp and several others.
But it came at a cost. A group of seven of us — along with the Montreal Gazette and Postmedia Network — were all sued for defamation.
It was terrifying. We spent five long years in court defending our names, our truth, and the animals who had no voice.
Even the cleaning lady testified, confirming that hundreds of cats lived in Lisbona’s home, about 300 more at the shelter, and hundreds of others hidden in secret locations across Montreal.
It was large-scale animal hoarding — not rescue.
In the end, we won.
The court ruled the case an abusive (SLAPP) suit, meant to silence us.
Justice for us was served — we were awarded damages and full repayment of our legal fees.
We donated part of the funds to other rescues doing real, compassionate work, and yes , Darryl and I built a fence. A small symbol of peace and closure after so much chaos.
Even while the case was ongoing, MAPAQ finally acted:
🐾 In 2018, 133 animals were seized from her home and a secret facility.
🐾 In 2021, more were taken.
🐾 She was found guilty of breaking and entering with intent to steal cats, and of violating Quebec’s animal welfare laws.
🐾 She is banned from operating any rescue and cannot own any animals.
But the lawsuit kept going. We finally won.
But as I look back, one question remains:
Did the animals truly win?
Because hoarding remains a serious and ongoing problem in Montreal and beyond. Despite all we exposed and all we endured, Quebec’s animal-protection laws are still far too weak — and enforcement is inconsistent at best.
Still, that freezing day 12 years ago and the Gazette article that followed 10 years ago on November 11th remind me why we did it — and why we must keep speaking up.
A group of seven ordinary people stood up to a bully, exposed the truth, and refused to be silenced.
We didn’t just make noise — we made history.
📰 Read the original Montreal Gazette exposé (November 11, 2015):
PressReader Archive - https://www.pressreader.com/search?query=%22barbara%20lisbona%22&in=ALL&date=Anytime&hideSimilar=0&type=2&state=2
and our court judgement here - https://citoyens.soquij.qc.ca/php/decision.php...
To my fellow witnesses and co-defendants — Neil, Darryl, Patricia, Ursula, and the others — thank you for your courage and your hearts.
We may all be different, but we are bonded for life.
🐾 For the cats who couldn’t speak, we did. And we were heard.
