After The Canadian Press published news of the unannounced expansion plans last year, two former conservation officers spoke out about the pens based on their experience investigating them in the years after the Harris government tightened the rules.

Rick Maw and Wayne Lintack said the dog sport is cruel to the captive prey and well-meaning regulations are impossible to enforce.

The two said the industry has long been rife with problems, including the illegal catching and warehousing of coyotes that are then fenced in as prey for the dogs. They also uncovered a coyote trafficking ring.

On April 2, 2006, conservation officers fanned out across southern and central Ontario for a series of raids. They seized nearly two dozen live coyotes and laid hundreds of charges. The criminal case eventually fell apart because it took too long to get to trial, but the province shut down a train-and-trial area where coyotes had been found packed in a barn.