In a quick post to everyone who has been tracking the story of our little canine heroine, Faith, I want to spotlight the efforts of a group that should be heralded: the management and staff at the Brantford SPCA!

I think that we are often guilty of painting everyone with the same brush when they are affiliated with a certain group. In this case, the Brantford SPCA has received many unwarranted and inappropriate comments which I think are based on the wrongdoings we know occurred in the New Market SPCA last year when they attempted to kill all the animals in their care over an alleged outbreak of ringworm which was later determined to be false.

But this is not fair! The Brantford SPCA is NOT the New Market SPCA. The Brantford SPCA has not killed a healthy dog in more than five years! The management and staff at this SPCA go above and beyond to place the animals in their care, sometimes personally driving them to new homes. When it comes to finding homes, they know no boundaries. One dog was transported with a trucker to a new home in Las Vegas!

These folks “get it!” These folks are knowledgeable and compassionate about the animals in their care.

They have fielded offers for Faith from all over North America. They have carefully weighed their choices, checked references and made their decision.

Faith will be heading out west to start a new life as a free dog; no BSL hanging over her head.

The Brantford SPCA never considered killing this Pit Bull mix.

She was treated as all their animals are, except that her adoption would require her to live outside Ontario. And that is exactly what happened.

These are the facts and I hope they shall make the rounds on the internet so everyone knows the truth before they make comments or write angry emails.

Instead I encourage everyone to either stop writing to the Brantford SPCA, send them kudos or make a donation to them.

It is not fair to paint the Brantford SPCA with the same brush that you paint the New Market SPCA despite the fact they both fall under the leadership of the OSPCA. Again I tell you, the Brantford SPCA is one of the “good guys.” They work tirelessly for the animals in their care, going above and beyond. They deserve our support for all the good they do.

We need to recognize the good apples! We need to stand behind them as an example to the not-so-good apples. We need to support them.

So please, stop your angry comments to and about the Brantford SPCA… because you are wrong! Instead, please join me in spreading the truth!

Kudos to the Brantford SPCA for the handling of this adoption…

and all their work in placing the animals in their care! You have my deepest respect!

Ciao, Holly

The trouble with words is that we “hear” them in different ways. Sometimes we hear what we want to hear. Sometimes we hear what others want us to hear. And sometimes the message is just not quite clear.

In the end, it’s the actions that follow the words that speak the loudest and with the most truth.

As the situation with the ringworm killings unfolded, I expressed a cautious support for the OSPCA — for a couple reasons. First, we need a humane shelter for our homeless animals. To simply shut it down leaves many animals with a lot less hope for a home and deprives the community of a needed service. Second, with this opportunity to take a look inside the OSPCA, we are afforded a great opportunity to make significant changes. Changes that will benefit the animals and bring a new trust and support for the work the OSPCA could be doing within the community. Maybe even a no-kill agenda.

I listened to their words as the OSPCA gave statements to the press. I rejoiced when they announced on Thursday that they had halted the killings at the Newmarket facility. I counted on them to honor their word. But then came news that three animals were killed on Friday… for “behavioral” reasons (my thoughts on that label are best saved for another post). Included in the three was Sago, a German Shepherd who has become the unofficial poster child for the anti-killing protests.

A caption under Sago’s photo in the online press mentioned that she was about to be adopted. Instead she is dead.

Why did these killings happen? What was the point of killing them at a time when the OSPCA said killings had been halted?

The deaths of these three animals the day after the OSPCA released a statement that killings had been halted has certainly given pause to my thinking that the current management was going to embark on a new path. I obviously heard what I wanted to hear when I read their statements. But their actions have set me straight.

At the very least, I am discouraged by their logic.

My focus returns to the animals that survived the killings. They are obviously not out of the woods.

As people scramble to correct the problems at OSPCA, let’s not forget these survivors. Kate MacDonald has stated that all will be quarantined and tested throughout the next month, but we must remain diligent in following up on them. We must not let these survivors fall through the cracks. And as soon as possible, we must ensure that they find loving, forever homes. Else their fate will be no brighter than it was before the ringworm outbreak. They will again hang precariously in the balance of life or death.

I encourage everyone to stay in close touch with the OSPCA regarding the progress of the animals still in their care. Request follow up reports often. Some may be ready for adoption before the 30-day period. Some may require more time. Either way, we need to find homes for them.

Will you be one of the homes?

Please share this post with your friends and ask them to share it with their friends… because we know there are homes for our homeless animals. We are thousands and they are but a couple hundred.

If you are interested in adopting or want to follow up on their progress, please contact the OSPCA. Let them know we have not forgotten the survivors.

Anne Buonaiuto, Executive Assistant to CEO
Phone: 905-898-7122 ext. 304 or abuonaiuto@ospca.on.ca

Take action…

Support a new OSPCA. Volunteer. Adopt. Share. Save a life!

Ciao, Holly

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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.

Will you do this? Will you be that home?

Please, the animals at the OSPCA still need us. Step forward again and be their home.

Or share this message with all your friends and ask them to share it with their friends.

Just as we were able to stop their deaths, we can find these wonderful creatures their forever homes.

We need to follow through on what we started when we decided to stand up for their lives.

Volunteer. Adopt. Share. Save a life!

Ciao, Holly

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By Wednesday night, 99 animals had been euthanized, 155 were still in the shelter, and 96 were in their foster homes. Testing will continue in the next few days. [The Star]

Why does the OSPCA seem more willing to risk its credibility in the community by needleesly killing animals with ringworm than to accept the help of the many volunteers coming forward? Volunteers who are opening their arms and their hearts with their eyes wide open to the situation. Volunteers who realize this is a contagious condition, but they also realize it is a treatable condition.

Were the OSPCA to actually begin adoptions again, moving the infected animals into smaller households would speed up the cure rate. Ringworm breeds very well in a shelter environment — lots of warm bodies in small, moist areas. The masses need to be separated; they need to be bathed, medicated and moved.

Yes, this will take some diligence and some manpower, but the community has stepped up and is willing to help.

Why does the OSPCA seem so determined to run counter with the opinions of vets and other shelters that have knowledge and experience with ringworm? Why does the OSPCA seemingly ignore the protests of its own community? The community it counts on for the millions of dollars in donations it receives each year.

The provincial government says it does not have the authority to stop the OSPCA. However, such a battle of might should not proceed ahead of doing what is right. It should not require such authority to seize the incredible offerings of the public to help.

If the OSPCA continues with their plans to exterminate all the animals in their care, their problems will not stop when the last body bag leaves the shelter. People are not going to forget that they needlessly killed 350 animals as a shortcut to solving their ringworm problem.

In case they are not listening, let’s make some noise folks and demand the OSPCA be stopped. There are several ways to get involved:

• Attend the protest scheduled for Thursday, May 13, 2010
Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location: 16586 Woodbine Avenue, RR 3

• Call and/or email Premier Dalton McGuinty
416-325-1941 | dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

• Call and/or email Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci 416-325-0408 | rbartolucci.mpp@liberal.ola.org

• Attend the funeral march for the animals killed by the OSPCA — Sunday, May 16 at Richmond Green Park, 1300 Elgin Mills Road East, between Bayview Avenue & Leslie Street, Richmond Hill. “We would like people to show up with empty animal carriers, collars and leashes, and wearing black clothes, just like a funeral,” said organizer Christine O’Neill.

• Join the Facebook group STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF OVER 350 ANIMALS AT THE NEWMARKET OSPCA for the latest on protests and calls to action.

The systematic killing of healthy animals with a treatable condition is woefully irresponsible. To not raise our voices to this injustice would be just as irresponsible.

“Never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ciao, Holly

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

UPDATE May 13, 2010: GREAT NEWS!!! The euthanasia of animals at a York Region shelter has been halted, according to Tory MPP Frank Klees.

It wouldn’t have happened without our collective voices and the incredible strength of MPP Klees for taking such a strong stance AGAINST this insanity.

Send him a thank you! fklees@frank-klees.on.ca

Here’s the breakdown per OSPCA website:

-99 animals have been humanely euthanized to date.

-96 animals have been fostered out to other accredited agencies, clinics, shelters and institutions capable of caring for them in isolation from other animals.

-15 animals have been stolen.

-15 animals who are not affected by the outbreak are in isolation in a portable structure on the site.

-23 dogs and 91 cats need to be tested further. We are seeking temporary shelter for these animals for up to a month.

 

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May 13, 2010   //   Campaigns, Posts by Holly   //   6 Comments   //   Tags: Animal welfare, Canada, Dalton McGuinty, euthanasia, Ontario, Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, OSPCA

I have been told by an employee at an SPCA how nice it would be to hear something positive once in a while about the work they do to save the animals in their care. It certainly gave me pause to think.

But in today’s edition of the Toronto Star, there appeared a story that the Ontario SPCA has started killing 350 animals at it’s shelter in Newmarket because of ringworm — a treatable fungal infection.

And again I am reminded of how readily shelters will kill their animals at the drop of a hat rather than apply some elbow grease and get the necessary work done. Yes, it requires some elbow grease and time because there is no magic pill for ringworm, but the response that all animals in the shelter will simply be killed rather than make this effort is just appalling.

It’s a response based on convenience rather than what is right. It is surely easier to kill all the animals in the facility, hose it down with bleach and wait for the next bunch of homeless animals to refill the facility. And certainly quicker. The lives of our homeless pets are just that easily dismissed.

Ringworm should NOT be a death sentence.

According to CTV, Durham SPCA officials released a statement Tuesday suggesting more rigorous cleaning procedures can eradicate ringworm.

“As a shelter that has had to deal with two major ringworm outbreaks in the last 10 years, we are fully aware of how difficult a condition it is to treat. Both of our outbreaks involved about 100 animals,” the statement said.

“It requires extra precautions to be taken on the part of the staff and volunteers working with those animals, like wearing gloves, long sleeves and booties.

“But it is not a life threatening disease, it is a fungus…In both of our outbreaks we never lost an animal.”

News reports tell us the killing has already begun.

Update: THE OSPCA IS NOW ASKING FOR QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS to assist in treating the animals. Here is the info for volunteering:

Anne Buonaiuto, Executive Assistant to CEO
Phone: 905-898-7122 ext. 304 or abuonaiuto@ospca.on.ca

Please do not use this contact info to express outrage at the initial decision to kill the animals. Let’s keep it open for volunteers to get through. The animals need them!

Please share this with your friends.

Ciao, Holly

UPDATE: You may be able to help save animals.
The Ontario SPCA is asking qualified residents and local veterinarians who can treat ringworm to contact them with services you can offer to help save the remaining animals that were scheduled to be euthanized… [Read more]

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