NEWMARKET, Ont. - An external investigator is being appointed to examine the ringworm outbreak that occurred at an Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter in Newmarket.

About 100 of 350 animals at the shelter were euthanized earlier this month because of the outbreak.

The Ontario SPCA says the investigator will be chosen from a short-list of qualified candidates provided by the University of Guelph.

The SPCA says it hopes to be able to announce the candidate and the date the investigation will begin next week.

It says the investigator will be given free reign to examine the protocols and procedures in place to prevent such an outbreak and determine whether they were breached.

In addition, all aspects of the handling of the outbreak by Ontario SPCA staff will be reviewed.

"As a public trust, we are accountable to the community for our actions" Rob Godfrey, SPCA board chair, said Friday. "We welcome this investigation so that we may learn from this situation to avoid an outbreak, such as ringworm, reaching epidemic levels in any of our shelters again."

The SPCA says the investigator's report will be made available to the public.