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News June 11, 2017

Lack of pet euthanization laws in Canada put animals in danger

Imagine if you had a neighbour or an acquaintance who had a beautiful healthy dog that was young, vibrant and excited to be alive. Then the next time you hear about the animal, it had been euthanized because the neighbour or acquaintance had moved and didn’t want their pet anymore. The dog was not sick and did not have low quality-of-life. Instead, it became inconvenient for the pet owner to continue caring for the dog and euthanization was the easiest option.

The reality is in Canada, there is very little animal welfare protection. There are no laws that prevent pet owners from euthanizing healthy animals due to silly and irresponsible reasons like not having time for the dog, divorce, moving, or behavioural issues. Many veterinarians try to avoid euthanizing animals when there are little ethical grounds, but it isn’t prohibited and there is no way to stop it if a vet is willing. Other vets could try to adopt out the animals or give them to rescues, but sometimes it isn’t possible and the pets are left in a terrible situation.

“We recently had a beautiful German shepherd surrendered to our shelter. He belonged to a husband and wife who were getting divorced, and neither felt they could care for the dog any longer. The wife asked the husband to euthanize, and he called us in a panic and asked us if we had space,” media director at Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary, Clare Forndran, says. “Of course we said yes, and since meeting him, we have fallen in love with him though the wife thinks the dog has been euthanized..It is difficult to understand how anyone could euthanize a vibrant dog who has so much life left to live. Our hearts break for the dogs that don’t get that opportunity.”

Many animals simply don’t get this opportunity and there is no legal protection to keep the pets from getting put down needlessly. According to the 2015 Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, 1890 healthy animals were put down that year. This consisted of 759 cats, 39 dogs, and 1092 other animal species. These statistics are fairly limited because the survey is voluntary and no concrete evidence exists on the total amount of healthy animals were put down in Canada. In Ontario, there are few limitations on convenience killing and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) doesn’t advocate for ‘no kill’ shelters. “We need robust publically supported shelters and much more federal and provincial investment,” Executive Director of Animal Justice, a Canadian animal rights law charity, Camille Labchuk says. “There is nothing kind about convenience killing and it should be illegal.”

On June 20, 2017, the OSPCA is going to court for a case that involves putting down 21 pitbulls that were involved in a dog fighting ring in Chatam Ont. In 2015, the dogs were seized and subsequently the OSPCA applied to the courts to euthanize the dogs because they deemed them ‘unfit for society’. Three animal advocacy organizations, Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary, Animal Justice, and Bullies in Need applied to intervene in the case in February 2016 and were later denied in December 2016. The owners of the dogs, who are not being charged of several accounts of animal Cruelty and other criminal charges, have not granted the OSPCA the right to euthanize them and granted the rescues permission to take the dogs for rehabilitation, yet the date of the 21 pitbulls still lies in the hands of the OSPCA and their court application. “Our team is continuing to work around the clock in hopes of saving the lives of these dogs and providing them with a much-needed second chance,” Ferndran says. “Our hope is that a positive update will come out of the June 20th court date.”

Paris Hilton supporting the #savethe21 campaign. Photo provided by Dog Tales Rescue & Sanctuary.

In the meantime, Dog Tales has launched the #savethe21 campaign, which has ignited support worldwide. Celebrities like Paris Hilton and business magnate Richard Branson have showed support to save the dogs from euthanization. If Dog Tales is successful and the dogs are released, they have developed a rehabilitation plan that includes sending the canines down to Florida to the Dogs Playing for Life National Canine Centre for Advanced Behavioral Support. “The court is well aware of the public interest in the case and it has really a chord with people,” Labchuk says. “People need to remind the justice system that these dogs were rescued from a horrific dog fighting ring. It is not appropriate to kill them without giving them a fair chance at rehabilitation.” People can show support by writing to the CEO of OSPCA, the Ontario government, and posting a photo on twitter with the tag #savethe21 to show support.

It is clear that animals needs stronger legal protection against euthanization. Healthy animals deserve to live fulfilling and happy lives, instead of at the whim of irresponsible pet owners. Euthanizing an animal should only be used in the most dire of circumstances, including illness and low quality-of-life ie. from old age. There should also be more education available to teach potential pet owners of the responsibilities of owning and taking care of an animal to lower the amount of unnecessary euthanization happening in Canada currently. As a country, Canada needs to start promoting better animal welfare protection and become a leader in animal rights advocacy, instead of an international embarrassment when it comes to animal protection.

Home & Garden April 23, 2017

Ringing in the spring with adorable crafts

Spring is here and what better way to ring in the new season then to make decorative themed crafts with the kids. While Spring is known for its dreary, rainy weather, it doesn’t mean the family can’t have fun. Spring-themed, DIY projects are trending across the internet, and Women’s Post has helped you sort through Pinterest. Here are five craft-ideas that are sure to keep your kids entertained, and dress up your house for the flower-season.

A Bird House

Building bird houses can be done in so many different ways, but using a hammer and nails is a fantastic opportunity to teach kids (and brush up on your skills) of rudimentary carpentry. Simply get six pieces of evenly squared ply-wood and ensure one side has a door. Then use the hammer and nails to create a box and voila! You will have a state-of-the-art bird box. Make sure to get paint that is made for wood surfaces so that you can decorate your bird feeder with vibrant colours.

If you are not comfortable allowing your kids (or yourself) to use a hammer, head to a nearby craft store and purchase a pre-made box to decorate. Don’t forget to pick up some seeds so that the birds are enticed to hang out in your backyard!

Homemade wind chimes
There are many ways to make a homemade wind chime, but one of the easiest versions uses materials found in your own backyard — a stick. Lay the stick flat and tie a series of strings around it with three quarters of the string hanging down. Thread beads, wooden toggles, and other noise-making materials from the strings. Make sure they are different colours and feel free to add a bell or two for that nice ringing sound. Tie up the ends of the string and make the pieces different lengths for more visual interest. Tie another string to the stick in order to hang the wind-chime. Be sure to put it outside or in a window so you can hear it clanging away.

Planters in jars
If there are any glass jars left over from winter preservatives, a way to re-use and recycle is to use the old jars as planters. Simply buy a bag of soil and seeds that can grow in small planters indoors (herbs like basel, thyme, or lavender) and plant away. Try to find a variety of herbs or coloured indoor plants for a beautiful visual effect. Place the jars by a window in your kitchen or living room so they have access to sunlight. These planter jars can brighten any home and give your house a fresh spring look.

Painted rocks

Painting rocks is a simple and enjoyable family activity, and doesn’t require a lot of planning or materials. Simply go to a nearby beach and collect a series of rocks with a flat surface to paint. Use acrylics to paint the rock. There are several animal templates online to for cute rock animal, but be creative! These rocks can be used in the backyard as stepping stones or simple decoration when leaned against a wall.

Paper flowers

The classics! For paper flowers, gather a few different colours of tissue paper and pipe cleaners. Pile the tissue neatly one on top of the other and fold them together to make an accordion. Once the accordion is completely folded into one lengthwise fold, wrap pipe cleaners one third down the tissue to make three parts. Cut above the pipe cleaner. Fan out the tissue around the pipe cleaner and fluff the paper up to make a beautiful paper flower. Place it in a vase (no water) decorated with paint and paper.

What are your favourite spring crafts? Let us know in the comments below!

What's Hot November 16, 2016

Woman of the Week: Jo-Anne McArthur

Photography can be a tool for change — there is no limit to the difference a powerful image can make. Animal rights photographer Jo-Anne McArthur has taken this medium to a new level by using her DLSR camera to take astounding photographs of animals in various states of suffering. She has gained attention worldwide for her courageous work, and her investigative journey was also featured in Liz Marshall’s documentary The Ghosts in our Machine.

“It is unforgiving work. I am trying to make art out of the atrocities,” McArthur says. “If I produced shitty images, people aren’t going to look. How are you going to look and not get people to turn away?”

McArthur’s job is difficult, no doubt. She is forced to get up close and personal to each and every animal, and then has to walk away from the suffering in order to keep doing her job without legal litigation. Not to mention, many of the photos that McArthur take are in hard-to-reach places that often keep animals in terrible conditions.

“Most commonly, I am sneaking onto a property at night with a security team. We know when people are coming and going,” McArthur says. “I never break or touch anything. I will climb a fence if I have to and document — whether that takes half an hour or six hours.”

McArthur says her most difficult photography shoot was with minks held in cages, because of the low lighting and confined space. The cages were quite small and the mink are often trying to protect their young. Photoshoots like these make McArthur feel devastated, especially when she has to walk away without interfering. A photography shoot involving a lone elephant is one of her worst memories on the job. “The saddest thing I’ve seen was an elephant named Jeanna in France. She does fuck all except walking in circles and swaying back and forth,” McArthur says. “It was devastating to see this girl who has been alone for 15 years. They should re-home her, give her sanctuary, and give her enrichment. Seeing her once was bad enough, but then I come back the next day and she is doing the exact same thing. Why isn’t the world screaming about her being there? I take photos, but I feel inept.”

After years of working in the trenches of animal rights investigations, McArthur found herself suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “I was doing too much time in the field. It is natural to need a recovery period from traumas. I felt I was invincible and I was not. My first thought when I woke up in the morning was mink or gestation crates,” McArthur says. “I had therapy to help me process what I had seen I was thinking of the utter sadness of animals in captivity all the time. I had to relearn the basics, eat well, and sleep well. I annoyingly tell activists to eat, sleep, and have sex. If we are not joyful, we are not healthy and we need to joy to advocate for animals. I got used to seeing the sadness. When people ask me if I’m desensitized, I want to say no. To go there emotionally, it is not productive.”

Along with being a leader in animal rights activism, McArthur is a huge supporter of women. She began an initiative called the ‘Unbound Project’ with Associate Professor of Visual Arts at Brock University, Keri Cronin that features women in animal rights activism around the world. “Over many years of doing animal rights work, I saw that it was women on the front lines. There is often men at the top for optics, but women are really the dominant sex in this movement,” McArthur says. “I’m doing the Unbound Project because I see that it is women that lead the movement, and I want to celebrate that.”

McArthur has been fascinated by animals since she was a child. She says that many people get into animal rights to change the world, but for her it was a different story. “Even as a wee kid, I would feel sad for an animal. I took action because I was worried,” McArthur says. “My parents allowed me to express these concerns and act on them.”

An avid reader as well, McArthur is currently reading The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. She also recommends Aftershock by Patrice Jones for women going through PTSD. She has also published her own book, We Animals.

After having faced so many countless atrocities, it is a wonder that McArthur has hope in the future of the world we live in. She says that living with hope is the only way to stay positive. “I certainly have moments of despair, but that is not where I live. I live with a focus on change, and with every person I reach, that is a victory. I choose to live hopefully instead of despairingly or I wouldn’t be able to do this shitty work I do.”

Here is a sample of some of McArthur’s work and you can find more animal rights photographs here:

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”3″ gal_title=”Photos by Jo-Anne McArthur”]

News July 2, 2016

Animal Protections Act needs our support

As an animal activist, I am continually surprised by how little protection there is for animals in Canada against extreme acts of cruelty. Even if people try to obtain justice for animals that have been mistreated, it is extremely difficult for the current laws to make any credible difference in court. Animals deserve to be treated with respect, and updating Canadians laws is necessary to do just that.

That’s why Beaches-East York Liberal MP Nathaniel Erksine-Smith has introduced a private member’s bill called the Modernizing Animal Protections Act.

Bill C-246, also known as the Modernizing Animal Protections Act, was introduced on Feb. 26, 2016 and focuses on three main elements. The act looks to tighten shark finning laws, ban dog and cat fur in Canada, and, most importantly, to change the criminal code concerning animal cruelty. Section 446 of the criminal code currently states that a person cannot “willfully neglect” an animal, but this can be difficult to prove in court because of the vague language used. Prosecutors often have a hard time proving willful neglect, meaning that an animal abuser can commit egregious acts of cruelty and go unpunished if they can prove they didn’t “wilfully” do it.

“The most significant component is modernizing the provisions to the criminal code. They were slightly modified in the 1990s but it is necessary to close loopholes related to severe negligence conditions,” Erksine-Smith says. “Crown prosecutors have said on a number of occasions that it is harder to secure convictions on the criminal code because of the language used. One of those terms is “willful neglect”. The willful component can be hard to prove”.

Animals became protected under the criminal code in 1892 and that section of the legislation has not been greatly changed since 1954. There have been several attempts to amend the criminal code in the past that have been met with limited success, including proposed reforms by former Justice Minister Anne McLellan in 1999 that were shot down. Current Liberal MPs Mark Holland and Hedy Fry have also tried to champion legal reforms in the criminal code. In the last 16 years, there have been 13 attempts to change animal rights laws in Canada that have been denied, despite the fact that 92 per cent of Canadians support changing the criminal code for animals. This lack of success in parliament is confounding.

Erksine-Smith also noted that Canada’s animal rights laws pale in comparison to other countries worldwide, such as New Zealand who has gone as far as to declare all animals sentient beings. “I refer to it as helping to bring our animal protection laws into the 21^st century. Other countries are moving well beyond what we are doing,” Erksine-Smith says. “I choose these three issues because I thought I was selecting three issues I thought everyone could get behind.”

The Humane Society International, among other supporters, stand behind Erksine-Smith’s bill, but he has yet to convince Parliament to bring it to committee. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has even gone as far to reject liberal support for the bill because of pressure from the hunting and fishing communities. “We had the opportunity to meet Nathaniel and he is a strong advocate for supporting our work in Canada,” Humane Society International Political Officer, Michael Bernard says. “We are surprised and disappointed the government isn’t supporting it. We had at least hoped they would send the bill to committee. This bill goes after the most brutal offenders and worst cases. It is really just modernizing and giving protection to animals across the country.”

Erksine-Smith also pointed out that the bill doesn’t threaten hunters and fishers to any capacity because regulations concerning those parties fall under different jurisdiction and wouldn’t be applicable to the amendments proposed to the criminal code. The newly-appointed MP also expressed frustration at turning a private member’s bill into a forum for political gain, instead of looking at the bill as a way to create a new and much-needed standard of ethics for animals in Canada.

“These practices are frustrating as a new MP. I’m open to changes, I just don’t want to lose the good elements of the bill,” Erksine-Smith says. “I’ve gotten no uptake on that front unfortunately. The government has allowed the political pressure to get to them. People need to contact their MPs and the Minister of Justice.”

Erksine-Smith and supporters still have the summer to influence other members of the house as the MPs can vote independently of their respective parties because it is a private bill. The second reading is set to occur on September 21 2016 and if the bill is approved, it will then go to committee. Erksine-Smith encourages people to write to their MPs, the Prime Minister’s office and the Justice Minister to show support for the bill.

“I never like to give up hope. We need to engage with politicians and for Canadians to engage with this bill. Over the summer, we hope they look at changing their position,” Bernard says. “Realistically I know there is some opposition to it. Our job is to communicate with people and get the law passed.”

If you would like to help support the Modernizing Animal Protections Act, contact the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Justice here.

News March 21, 2016

Seaworld ends captive breeding, but is it enough?

A moment of rare celebration has occurred in the marine animal world. Seaworld announced on March 17 they are officially retiring the captive orca breeding program and theatrical shows involving killer whales.

Seaworld currently has 29 orcas in captivity, with six killer whales on loan. The remaining orcas will stay under the care of Seaworld and are to be the last of their kind in the entertainment facility. Seaworld holds the most marine animals in confinement in the world, and this is welcome news for cetacean activists who have been fighting against orca captivity for years.

The decision to stop theatrical shows involving orcas and end the captive breeding program is arguably the result of social pressures from the 2013 film, Blackfish. This documentary investigated the inhumane conditions of the orcas at Seaworld and the death of orca trainer by killer whale, Tilikum in 2010.

Though the end of the captive whale program is positive, key concerns remain. Seaworld’s website says, “These majestic orcas will not be released in the ocean or confined to sea cages….our existing show pools and viewing areas will be redesigned into a more naturalistic setting and we will continue to present the whales at scheduled times before a guest audience”.

I wonder what they were trying to insinuate with the carefully chosen language of “sea cages”. Sea pen sanctuaries are closed off spaces in bays or coves that could serve as conservation areas for previously captive whales. In comparison to cages on land, living in the ocean in a conservation area would be a welcome option. Seaworld’s immediate dismissal on the part of sea pens and research into them for their remaining orcas is a sore point.

“[The whales] could not survive in oceans to compete for food, be exposed to unfamiliar diseases or have to deal with environmental concerns,” Seaworld says. “Instead they will live long and healthy lives under love and care of our dedicated veterinary and other trained specialists.”

Captive whales have a much lower life expectancy than whales in the ocean. According to a 2011 study by scientist, Naomi Rose, the natural life span of female whales is 80-90 years and male whales is 60-70 years. In captivity, only two female whales have passed 40 and no male whales have lived past 35.

The study also notes the most common causes of death for captive whales are pneumonia, septicemia and other infections. In recent news, Tilikum of Blackfish, is reported to be ailing with an incurable bacterial infection. The study also says, “contributing factors to infection-caused mortality in captive orcas may be immunosuppression. Pathogens or injuries that the immune systems of wild orcas would successfully combat or manage may be fatal to captive orcas, due to chronic stress, psychological depression, and even boredom.”

On March 28 2015, Ontario banned the captivity and sale of orcas, the first and only province in Canada to do so. Unfortunately, Kiska, the lone captive whale in Canada was exempt from this law similarly to Seaworld’s captive orcas because she had been purchased by Marineland beforehand.

I can personally attest to Kiska’s boredom and agitation upon seeing her at the park. I visited to try and take pictures of the state of marine life in this abomination of an entertainment attraction when I was covering a protest for Marineland Animal Defense (M.A.D) for an animal rights publication.

I watched Kiska swim on the outer reaches of her tank, continually charging around and around her cage without pause. The orca displayed signs of telltale boredom often seen in confined animals, and upon asking the caretakers of the facility why she was alone, they replied, “because she wants to be”. The lack of evidence they were able to provide me according to that assertion was astounding to say the least.

The physical and psychological health concerns that pertain to confined orcas forces me to question whether ending the captive breeding program at Seaworld is enough. The exploration of sea pens needs to be considered as a solution for captive killer whales around the world, not to mention other marine life in captivity.

Seaworld’s announcement is only a partial victory for the confined killer whales. They will still remain in concrete tanks and will still participate in shows for the public. It forces me to ask: is this really a victory for the whales still currently in captivity worldwide?

It appears that future whales have been saved from the same life in imprisonment as Kiska and Tillikum. But, will the currently captive whales ever be able to swim in the ocean themselves, or will they instead suffer their fate in a concrete tank alone and forgotten?