Our work isn’t done yet

We got what we wanted today.

We protested, we made phone calls, we sent emails, we blogged, we tweeted, we wrote comments on various websites expressing our outrage that the OSPCA would systematically kill healthy animals because they had or might have ringworm — a treatable fungal skin condition. And to this end, we have saved the majority of the animals from the OSPCA “ringworm massacre.”

They are safe. For now.

We must not forget that we lost 99 lives.

From the words we have heard, the OSPCA has halted the killings. Does this mean they will seek treatment for the 23 dogs and 91 cats that possibly still remain in harms way? Could their lives still be hanging in the balance? I don’t think we know for sure.

Now begins the next step.

Tanya Firmage director of animal care, Kate MacDonald OSPCA Ceo, and Rosaline Ryan director of marketing and communications

There remains much to do. As our incredible champion in this fight, Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees has stated: “There is an inherent conflict of interest within the animal protection system because the same charitable organization that provides shelter for creatures also acts as the inspection and enforcement body.” This must be addressed.

I think we also need to insist on a thorough investigation by an independent, outside party to what happened, what went wrong, and what new procedures should be implemented to prevent any similar future scenarios. This goes towards rebuilding our faith and our trust.

But beyond that and more immediate are the animals that have so far survived.

Let’s look at the numbers: we started with the 350 animals that the OSPCA announced they would kill over several days:
- 99 were killed immediately
- 15 were stolen

Roughly speaking here’s what’s left:
- 8 turtles (immune to ringworm)
- 96 animals already in foster
- 15 animals not affected by the outbreak; in isolation
- 23 dogs and 91 cats need to be tested further; seeking temporary shelter for up to a month.

We now need 233 homes; less if people adopt more than one animal.

We stood up to save these animals from a death they did not deserve, so now we need to home them — either in foster homes or adopted into forever homes. We need to give them what they have always deserved — a kind and loving family.