Only about one animal in 20 at the Toronto Humane Society is currently healthy enough to be eligible for adoption, says the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Rosalind Ryan, an OSPCA spokesperson, said she's been told that because of age, conditions, disease and animal temperaments, only about 50 to 60 animals would be good candidates for adoption at the present time.

There are more than 1,000 animals at the River Street shelter.

"I think there are areas for improvement, but there are areas that have improved," Ryan  said.

"Although we don't have the answer to when adoptions will start, OSPCA and THS are working collaboratively to come up with a date so that that can start because we all want that to happen as soon as possible."

Toronto Humane Society staff were allowed back on the job Tuesday, more than a month after the shelter was raided by authorities investigating allegations of animal cruelty.

About 35 employees have been allowed to re-enter the building. However, former president Tim Trow and four senior employees are not allowed to return as they are facing animal cruelty charges.

Bob Hambley, the THS's president, called the continuing OSPCA presence "an occupation.

"This has been a difficult five weeks for all of us as we have been prevented from doing what we always strive to do, which is to treat sick, injured and abandoned animals and find them a good home or return them to their natural environment," he wrote in a statement.

The OSPCA executed a search warrant at the THS headquarters on Nov. 26.

The warrant was issued after following a six-month OSPCA investigation. It began the probe after reports claimed the shelter refused to euthanize animals leaving them to suffer instead.

OSPCA investigators claimed the building was a "house of horrors" after they found a mummified cat and a number of animals in distress.

Investigators said seven animals had to be put down. The THS has argued it's a hospital trying to return animals to health, not simply euthanize them.

THS spokesperson Ian McConachie said in a news conference Monday that staff are happy to get back to work.

"This has been a difficult five weeks for all of us, as we have been prevented from doing what we always do, which is treat sick, abandoned animals and find them a good home or return them to their natural environment " he said, reading from a written statement.

"We are pleased the court has recognized the unending occupation of the THS has to stop."

He said the board is in the process of recruiting a new executive director and appointing an advisory committee of animal experts to assist in the care of the approximately 11,000 animals that are brought to the shelter each year.

The OSPCA will still retain control over the care of the animals. The THS will keep control of finances and administration.

The Humane Society is still not open to the public or accepting new animals, and people who find animals in need are being asked to call City of Toronto Animal Services at 311.

With files from The Canadian Press