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Who cares for the orphans?Wildlife rehabilitation in a crisis

Don’t shoot the horses!Canadian horse-meat exports: a 60 million dollar bloody business

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Animal news Winter, 2007 1

Winter, Volume 3, Issue 4

Publisher and editor Claudia Vecchio Art Director David Young Proof reader Lenore Hawley Writers Isabel Anderson, Susan Baird, Sheila Brown, Sinikka Croslan, Teresa Pérett, Tiger Pai Hu Seng, Lindsay Soomet, Corinne Thaw, Claudia Vecchio Cover photo Keyhan Print production Four L Graphics Sales and marketing Corinne Thaw

Animal news is a quarterly publication of ORA – Organization for the Rescue of Animals©

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www.ora–animalrescue.org

Charitable registration #85580 9448 RR0001

No part of Animal News can be reproduced without written consent from the publisher.

Dav

id Y

oung

2

ActonActon Veterinary Clinic 10 River St. Acton, Ontario Tel: 519 853 1450

Pet Valu 372 Queen St. E., #A3 Acton, Ontario Tel: 519 853 9200

AJAXGlobal Pet Foods 314 Harwood Avenue South Ajax, Ontario Tel: 905 428 7387

AurorAGlobal Pet Foods 15440 Bayview Ave. Aurora, Ontario Tel: 905 727 3448

Pet Valu 15340 Bayview Ave., #B2 Aurora, Ontario Tel: 905 751 0851

BArrieGlobal Pet Foods 420 Essa Rd. Barrie, Ontario Tel: 705 792 4152

Pet Valu 531 Bayfield St. Barrie, Ontario Tel: 705 737 3182

The Dog House 92 Commerce Park Dr., Unit 9 Barrie, Ontario Tel: 705 721 9800

BurlingtonBone Appetit Pet Boutique 1500 Upper Middle Road., Unit 5, Burlington, Ontario Tel: 905 336 7338

Pet Valu Upper Brant Shopping Centre 2201 Brant St. Burlington, Ontario Tel: 905 335 8414

Pet Valu 3505 Upper Middle Road, Unit C-7 Burlington, Ontario Tel: 905 332 9664

HAmiltonRyan’s Pet Foods 989 Fennell Ave. E. Hamilton, Ontario Tel: 905 575 9422

mississAugABark & Fitz 129 Lakeshore Rd. E., Unit B Mississauga, Ontario Tel: 905 271 3892

Dixie Animal Hospital 1760 Dundas St. E. Mississauga, Ontario Tel: 905 270 5444

Pet Valu 6085 Creditview Rd. Mississauga, Ontario Tel: 905 821 4290

Pet Valu Clarkson Crossing 980 Southdown Road, Unit E5 Mississauga, Ontario Tel: 905 855 8262

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Happy Tails Grooming 540 Davis Dr., Unit #4 Newmarket, Ontario Tel: 905 953 0880

Kloster’s Butcher Shop 18025 Yonge St., # 4 Newmarket, Ontario Tel: 905 895 0437

Nature’s Emporium Wholistic Market 16655 Yonge St. Newmarket, Ontario Tel: 905 898 1844

oAkvilleBark & Fitz 334 Lakeshore Rd. E., Unit 3 Oakville, Ontario Tel: 905 842 2756

Pet Valu 280 North Service Road West, Unit 21 Oakville, Ontario Tel: 905 338 1646

osHAwAGlobal Pet Foods 575 Thornton Rd. N, Unit #12 Oshawa, Ontario Tel: 905 723 5428

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QueensvilleCynthia Harcourt, DVM 21894 Woodbine Ave. Queensville, Ontario Tel: 905 478 1995

ricHmond HillGlobal Pet Foods 1070F Major Mackenzie Dr. E., Unit 109 Richmond Hill, Ontario Tel: 905 508 8895

stouffvilleBallantrae Plaza Vet Clinic 11 Felcher Boulevard, Unit 1B Stouffville, Ontario Tel: 905 642 3349

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Pet Valu 24 Westlawn Crescent Stouffville, Ontario Tel: 905 642 6010

tHornHillGlobal Pet Foods 70 Doncaster Avenue Thornhill, Ontario Tel: 905 771 9227

Pet Valu 10 Royal Orchard Blvd., Unit 5 Thornhill, Ontario Tel: 905 889 1890

torontoBark & Fitz 2116 Queen St. E., Unit H Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 699 1313

Bark & Fitz 2570 Yonge St. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 483 4431

Bark N Scratch 2404 Danforth Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 424 2411

Barking Room 744 King St. West Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 840 9461

Barkingham Palace 1338 Danforth Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 461 3009

El Pipil 267 Danforth Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 465 9625

Gemini K9 Obedience 4385 Sheppard Ave. East, #11 Scarborough, Ontario Tel: 416 297 1077

Global Pet Foods 75 Hanna Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 534 7368

Global Pet Foods 2100 Bloor St. West Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 604 9272

Global Pet Foods 2019 Yonge St. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 487 6267

Global Pet Foods Progress Park Plaza 1595 Ellesmere Road Scarborough, Ont. Tel: 416 289 6255

Global Pet Foods 280 Sheppard Ave. E., Unit 105 Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 222 3935

Global Pet Foods 166 Bennett Road West Hill, Ontario Tel: 416 286 5673

Kennel Café 295 Roncesvalles Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 531 3177

Pet Valu 1646 Bloor St. West Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 537 924

Pet Valu 869 Danforth Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 778 9325

Pet Valu 1337 Lawrence Ave. W. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 245 9691

Pet Valu 927 The Queensway, Unit 1-3 Etobicoke, Ontario Tel: 416 251 3454

Pet Valu 3227 Eglinton Ave. E. Scarborough, Ontario Tel: 416 266 1244

Pet Valu Shoppers World 3003 Danforth Ave. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 693 0196

Purrfect Pet Supplies 3313 Lakeshore Blvd. W. Etobicoke, Ontario Tel: 416 259 0579

South Etobicoke Animal Hospital 741 The Queensway Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 201 9123

The Wearhouse Ltd. 790 Dundas St. W. Toronto, Ontario Tel: 416 603 3734

unionvilleThe Uptown Dog 139 Main St., Unit #105 Unionville, Ontario Tel: 905 305 1222

vAugHAnGlobal Pet Foods 2810 Major Mackenzie Dr. Vaughan, Ontario Tel: 905 832 3304

wHitByPet Valu 601 Dundas St. W. Whitby, Ontario Tel: 905 666 8277

Where to find Animal newsThanks to our advertisers and to the following outlets for their support


In this issueReaders views / editor’s note 4

The underworld of dog fighting 6

Morris picks his family 12

Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary 14

Wildlife rehabilitation in crisis 22

Have a safe and happy holiday with your pet 24

Two bullies are taught a lesson 27

Protecting Canada’s horses 28

Black cats—facts and fiction 34

4

Ready for commitment?Thankyou the for article “Are you ready for the commitment?” I have been helping the stray cats in my neighborhood for several years. I have seen and helped cats that have been tossed out of their homes by incon-siderate owners no longer willing to care for them. These animals suffer because of their irresponsible and selfish owners. My heart breaks each time I see a new cat roaming the streets. I hope people will read your article and realize that they are responsible for a life, not just a toy to be used until they get bored.

—Louise Pearson, Toronto

Caring for animals from a religious perspectiveIn reference to the article “Caring for the animals from a religious per-spective”, I am horrified to read about that priest who traps and kills all creatures that come his way, especially squirrels. I cannot believe it that he even has the audacity to brag about his actions, counting on impu-nity. He can pray as much as he wants, but if there is a God and a heaven and hell, surely he is going to burn for eternity!

—Gloria Etterbek, Belleville

Is the Catholic Church ever going to be in the news for something posi-tive? Now they also abuse squirrels?

—Mary Ann Goncalves, Brampton

I was born in a very catholic family, but since my youth I have abandoned this religion, revolted by the abuses of power, greed and corruption of the catholic clergy. If that priest thinks that people must be the only object of his compassion, then he should spend his time helping people instead of wasting it by persecuting animals. Obviously, he has no compassion for anybody, just a perverted pleasure to kill defenseless creatures.…I was amazed to read that according to the catholic church, there is a hi-erarchy of creation and we can use animals because we are made in the image of God, and animals are not. The anthropomorphic idea of God is long been discarded. We have made God in our own image, for our con-venience, not the other way around.

—Mike O’Sullivan, Toronto

readers’ views

As reported on Friday, Oc-tober 5th by the Wash-ington Post, according to the New Economics

Foundation (NEF), a London based think tank, we are now in an “ecologi-cal overdraft” meaning that the human consumption exceeds the ability of the earth to sustain it in any year and goes into the red. In fact, the NEF esti-mates that if everyone in the world had the same consumption rates as in the United States it would take 5.3 planet earths to support them. Although someone could dispute the accuracy of these statements, when we are wearing summer clothes and open toe shoes on Thanksgiving, it is obvious that global warming is an irrefutable reality.

Of all the animal species that populate the earth, this ecologi-cal catastrophe has been caused by one only species: the human kind.

Yet, humans continue to proclaim to be the superior species. In the name of superiority so much blood has been and is still being spilled. Superiorities of race, tribe, skin colour, superiority of a religion over another, of sex or of sexual orientation are invoked to oppress and annihilate. And in the name of the alleged human superiority over the other animal species, we are advocat-ing our right to kill and use animals as we please and to destroy our planet.

Interestingly, “superiorities” are claimed by the dominant parties, and they are always scientifically disproved. This applies also to the so-called “hu-man superiority”. Anthropologists in

edito r’s note


always larger numbers are doubting humans to be the most intelligent animal species. Others species, such as the octopus and dolphins, just to name two, seem to possess very high intelligence. Unfortunately, we hu-mans tend to affirm our superiority when we feel threatened by diversity. Just let’s think about communication. For centuries we have considered our verbal communication as an attribute of our superiority, but that was dictated simply by our ignorance. We have now discovered that all animal species do communicate and some species have communication skills much superior to ours. The ability of some species of whales, for instance, to transmit mes-sages underwater many miles away is just one of the many available examples.

In fact, just observing a formation of Canadian geese going south in the fall, able to avoid collisions and maintain the precision of their flight without ra-dar or any sophisticated instrument or thinking of the frail looking Monarch butterflies who fly to Mexico relying only on their delicate wings and amaz-ing sense of orientation should give us a sense of inferiority. To accomplish the same endeavour, we need vehicles, all kinds of equipment, a network of high-ways, maps and still we may get lost!

Undeniably, humans are not the superior species, but they are the dominant one, which means that we are more aggressive, greedy and destructive.

While all other animal species do not alter their natural habitat more than what is needed to find shelter, we

humans seem obsessed by the never ending desire to transform and control nature. It is almost like an impelled necessity of our existence. That is per-haps determined by our weaknesses. Certainly, we are the only animal spe-cies incapable of surviving wearing only the skin that mother nature has given us and unable to forage for food with our bare hands. Since the beginning of his history, man had to find a way to cover his body to protect himself from the elements, and he had to create instru-ments with which to procure his food. Unfortunately in so doing, man has also developed the desire and the pleasure not only to procure his necessity of life for today, but also for the future, with some individuals amassing what they could not use in several lifetimes. This is the story of greed and of its consequent destructive effects on our planet that we are all witnessing We have inherited a planet to share with all animal species and for greed and in the name of a presumed superiority, we have appropriated and destroyed it, dispossessing at the same time other animal species of their habitat, sending many into extinction and relegating the others to the margin of “our world” only in the measure in which they are useful to us, for food, hunting, etc. It is enough to take a drive outside Toronto and we can see with our own eyes the horrible destruction brought on by the “developments”, subdivisions and malls sprouting all over where we could view dears, foxes and other wildlife just a few years ago. We receive now

distressing calls about deer stranded in malls’ parking lots or at the mar-gin of the road caught in the jungle of asphalt, pitifully trying to find those familiar forests that man has destroyed.

The sad reality is that even the best intentioned amongst us cannot but contribute to the earth pollution. However, we can became more edu-cated, raise awareness amongst other people and take individual decisions benefiting our planet. The corporate world may try to make us feel insignifi-cant so that we can give up. “What can I really do?” is what too often we ask ourselves . We cannot pay for televi-sion advertisements , but by talking to our co-workers, friends and relatives, we can make more impact than any television ad, and we change things one person at the time. If each of us would stop buying new houses built in what was rural or forested area, then the builders would have to stop build-ing there and destroying those lands. Any person taking that decision means one fewer house sold . We have to take action to guarantee also our own survival, and we need a act of humility to realize that we are not that impor-tant in the great scheme of things.

‘If all mankind were to disap-pear the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environ-ment would collapse into chaos.’ This was said by American biolo-gist and researcher, Edward Wilson.

And is we still want to hold on to the idea of human superiority, then please let’s it apply, by show-ing compassion, care and consid-eration for all animal species and respect for our planet earth.

edito r’s note

66

The underworld of dog fighting

n o fighting dog has the chance to enjoy the normal life of a beloved family pet. These abused dogs miss out on all the good things that our canine friends take for granted—affection from its human family and friends, the companionship of loving

humans and friendly dogs, playing with toys, other dogs or its people, eating regularly, sleeping on the bed or couch, perhaps frolicking in a safe lake or wading pool, and daily walks. The life of a “game dog” is in stark contrast to that of a pampered pet.

The breeds used in dog fighting are usually American pit bull ter-riers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and bulldogs. Due to frequent interbreeding, they are often referred to simply

By Sheila Brown

In recent months, animal lovers in Canada and the United States have been horrified and disgusted by the details of the dog fighting charges against Michael Vick, a quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL), and three of his associates.1 This high-profile case is just

the tip of the iceberg—organized dog fighting occurs worldwide, even in countries where it

is illegal.

Animal news Winter, 2007 7Animal news Winter, 2007 7

The underworld of dog fightingas pit bulls. They have been bred over generations to enhance aggressive-ness; breeders take advantage of pit bulls’ inherent loyalty to make them more aggressive to outsiders and other dogs. Sometimes larger dogs like the Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro are used or are cross-bred with other fighting dogs.

Dog fighting involves two dogs fighting in a pit, which is usually a small arena enclosed by plywood walls. On average, these gruesome fights last two hours or more, ending when one of the dogs will not or cannot continue. Spectators have been known to force dogs to continue fighting by prodding and hitting them with sharp objects. With their determination not to give up and their extremely powerful jaws, fighting dogs are able to inflict severe, even fatal, injuries on one another. Bruising, deep puncture wounds and broken bones are common injuries. During these fights, ears, necks, jaws and lips are ripped open. Bleeding and ripped skin and muscles are encrusted with saliva and dirt from the ground on which the dogs wrestled on.

When they aren’t training or fight-ing, they live chained in place, near enough to other dogs to see them but not close enough to reach them; this is done to increase their antagonism. Many dogs are barely provided with the basics they need to survive—food, water and shelter—and some may be starved. Dogs are often kept in filthy conditions.

To enhance their aggressiveness and make them more vicious, dogs are frequently beaten, antagonized, and have their legs bound together.

Combatants are specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight and to be vicious towards other dogs. It can take two years from birth for a dog to be fully trained for fighting. A dog’s first test fight takes place when the dog is around 15 months of age and lasts about ten minutes, giving trainers a chance to assess the ani-mal’s potential. A dog who fails this test may be neglected, abandoned or killed. If the dog passes the test, a second fight will occur at around 19 months of age. If it’s successful at this second stage, the dog will be sched-uled to participate in a dog fight.

To increase a dog’s upper-body strength, handlers use extraordinar-ily heavy chains to hold dogs in place and frequently add weights to them. Dogs and puppies alike commonly have tires chained around their necks, are forced to run behind moving vehicles, and are beaten to make them “tough”. To strengthen the jaw of a fighting dog, dogs are often encour-aged to hang by their teeth from a tree or rafters for hours by biting on a rope. If they let go, it is a long drop to the ground. They are forced to run on treadmills and swim in pools, some-times for hours to build endurance.

In order to foster the viciousness, some trainers use smaller animals

such as cats, rabbits, raccoons, or small dogs as “bait”. Sometimes the dog will be tied to one arm of a jenny, or “cat mill”, and the “bait” is strapped to the other extremity to entice the dog to run in a circle and chase after the bait. When the owner feels the dog has run enough, he lets the dog have the “bait” and encourages the dog to kill it, ripping it apart. More often, the animals used as “bait” are cut or stabbed before being tossed in with the fight-ing dogs which maul the small animals to death. The fighting dogs will likely have been beaten and deprived be-forehand, making them more vicious. “Bait” animals are often pets stolen for this purpose or animals obtained through “free to good home” ads.

The fate of the fighting dogs is as horrible as that of their training victims. After the fights, as the owners cannot take their dogs to a regular vet for fear of being reported to the authorities, they ‘medically treat’ the dogs themselves with little or no knowledge of veterinary medicine; antibiotics are given indis-criminately and gaping wounds may be stapled closed. Injured dogs often receive little or no care for broken bones, deep bite wounds and internal injuries received in fights. As a result, dogs par-ticipating in dogfights often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion or infection hours or even days after the fight. Surviving dogs may be maimed for life; for example, some dogs suffer deformities caused

8

This dog, emblematically called Triumph, was rescued by the Missouri Pit Bull Res-cue. Triumph underwent intensive medi-cal care and rehabilitation, disproving the theory that “fighting dogs” cannot be rehabilitated. Triumph is now living as a happy family pet and he even shares his home with a companion female dog. www.mprgroup.net

what to look for Do you●● notice more traffic to and from

a location during specific days of the week, at specific times? Do you hear dogs barking during those times?

Are there people coming and going in ●●

groups from a residence or other site, some with dogs? Men, women and children attend dog fights throughout the year. Dog fighting is not a “sea-sonal sport”.

The party-like atmosphere surround-●●

ing a dog fight is noticeable. Crowds of up to 200 spectators cheer for their chosen dog as the bets stack up. Bets ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 are

made on fights.●

Growling and barking, especially if dog ●●

breeds other than pit bulls are being used, is sometimes recognizable.

Multiple dogs in a yard, staked out ●●

close enough to each other that they can see each other, but not close enough to actually touch each other. Fighting dogs will often be staked out in a yard, attached to barrels or dog houses by a heavy chain.

Several dogs kept in garages or base-●●

ments.

Dogs who look injured, hungry, angry ●●

or overly submissive.

Constant barking from more than one ●●

dog.

Excessive dog feces in yard.●●

Equipment such as miniature tread-●●

mills and heavy chains.

Evidence of vitamins or performance-●●

enhancing drugs, including steroids.

bleeding h and/or blood stains in a ●●

confined area

severe injuries that can result in death ●●

from loss of blood and internal trauma.

Virtually any area within the community can hold a dog fight, including abandoned houses, vacant garages, isolated warehouses, commercial or residential basements, secluded parks and farmhouses or barns.

If you or someone you know sus-pects that dog fighting is occurring, do not hesitate to report your suspicions to the appropriate local agency—police department, Crime Stoppers, Humane Society’s Animal Cruelty Investigations Department or animal control.

If you recognize some but not all of the scenarios mentioned above,

Dog fighting publi●● cations such as:

The Sporting Dog Journal Your Friend and MineAmerican Game Dog TimesThe Scratch LineFace Your DogsThe Pit Bull ChronicleThe Pit Bull ReporterThe American Warrior

Dogs used in fighting often times have the following observable characteristics:

short ear crops●●

recent or long-standing wounds and ab-●●

scesses

scars on the head, throat, legs, and ears●●

wide leather or web collars with heavy rings●●

puncture wounds and lacerations●●

the location in question might still be one where dog-fighting (or raising, breeding or training dogs to fight) may be occurring.

Do not attempt to investigate the situation yourself. As there is almost always other illegal activ-ity occurring within dog-fighting circles—such as violence, weap-ons, and illegal activities—you could be putting yourself at risk.

what to doProtect your dog or cat from being stolen and used as “bait” in training fighting dogs:

Never leave your●● pet unattended in your yard.

Never tie your dog t●● o a post while you

run inside a store, restaurant or coffee shop.

Have your vet put an identifying ●●

microchip in your dog or cat. It may help you get your dog or cat back if it is stolen.

write letters to: Your loc●● al MP and MPP encouraging

them to work to strengthen Canada’s animal cruelty laws.

Law enforcement officials to urge ●●

them to take the issue seriously.

The editor of your local newspaper ●●

to increase public awareness of the dangers of dog fighting.

by improperly healed broken bones and others have deep scarring that never completely heals. Other injuries include ripped ears, torn lips, genitals ripped and dangling, eyes swollen shut, and faces so riddled with punctures that they are barely able to breathe.

Other dogs may be killed by their owners who are angry about losing money on a fight; purses at top-level, “professional” dog fights can be as much as $100,000. The dogs may be killed immediately after the fight or left to die

what to look for Do you●● notice more traffic to and from

a location during specific days of the week, at specific times? Do you hear dogs barking during those times?

Are there people coming and going in ●●

groups from a residence or other site, some with dogs? Men, women and children attend dog fights throughout the year. Dog fighting is not a “sea-sonal sport”.

The party-like atmosphere surround-●●

ing a dog fight is noticeable. Crowds of up to 200 spectators cheer for their chosen dog as the bets stack up. Bets ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 are

made on fights.●

Growling and barking, especially if dog ●●

breeds other than pit bulls are being used, is sometimes recognizable.

Multiple dogs in a yard, staked out ●●

close enough to each other that they can see each other, but not close enough to actually touch each other. Fighting dogs will often be staked out in a yard, attached to barrels or dog houses by a heavy chain.

Several dogs kept in garages or base-●●

ments.

Dogs who look injured, hungry, angry ●●

or overly submissive.

Constant barking from more than one ●●

dog.

Excessive dog feces in yard.●●

Equipment such as miniature tread-●●

mills and heavy chains.

Evidence of vitamins or performance-●●

enhancing drugs, including steroids.

bleeding h and/or blood stains in a ●●

confined area

severe injuries that can result in death ●●

from loss of blood and internal trauma.

Virtually any area within the community can hold a dog fight, including abandoned houses, vacant garages, isolated warehouses, commercial or residential basements, secluded parks and farmhouses or barns.

If you or someone you know sus-pects that dog fighting is occurring, do not hesitate to report your suspicions to the appropriate local agency—police department, Crime Stoppers, Humane Society’s Animal Cruelty Investigations Department or animal control.

If you recognize some but not all of the scenarios mentioned above,

Dog fighting publi●● cations such as:

The Sporting Dog Journal Your Friend and MineAmerican Game Dog TimesThe Scratch LineFace Your DogsThe Pit Bull ChronicleThe Pit Bull ReporterThe American Warrior

Dogs used in fighting often times have the following observable characteristics:

short ear crops●●

recent or long-standing wounds and ab-●●

scesses

scars on the head, throat, legs, and ears●●

wide leather or web collars with heavy rings●●

puncture wounds and lacerations●●

the location in question might still be one where dog-fighting (or raising, breeding or training dogs to fight) may be occurring.

Do not attempt to investigate the situation yourself. As there is almost always other illegal activ-ity occurring within dog-fighting circles—such as violence, weap-ons, and illegal activities—you could be putting yourself at risk.

what to doProtect your dog or cat from being stolen and used as “bait” in training fighting dogs:

Never leave your●● pet unattended in your yard.

Never tie your dog t●● o a post while you

run inside a store, restaurant or coffee shop.

Have your vet put an identifying ●●

microchip in your dog or cat. It may help you get your dog or cat back if it is stolen.

write letters to: Your loc●● al MP and MPP encouraging

them to work to strengthen Canada’s animal cruelty laws.

Law enforcement officials to urge ●●

them to take the issue seriously.

The editor of your local newspaper ●●

to increase public awareness of the dangers of dog fighting.


Dog fighters and spectators often take their children to dog fights, teaching them to believe that dog fighting is an acceptable form of recreation...

slowly, agonizing deaths from injuries, infection, starvation or dehydration; sometimes they are left in garbage dumps or vacant apartments. Those owners who kill their dogs use a variety of brutal methods—drowning, strangu-lation, hanging, shooting, electrocution, slamming the dog against the ground or setting them on fire and burning them alive. There have been cases of dogs being run behind cars until they collapse from exhaustion and are then dragged to death. In one case, a los-ing dog was thrown from a rooftop.

There are three levels of dog fight-ing—professionals, hobbyists, and street fighters. Professional dogfighters generally travel in their own country and around the world, breeding and fighting dogs for profit. Hobbyists may have a handful of dogs they breed and follow the rules of a refereed dogfight, but usually stay at the local

level. Street fighters fight all breeds of dogs and normally do not keep track of a dog’s record or bloodlines; gangs are often involved at this level.

Dog fighting occurs worldwide. Where it is legal, fights are held openly and advertised. In the countries where it is illegal, such as Canada and the United States, fights are held clan-destinely, usually on farms, but still highly organized with fight dates and purses set much like a boxing match.

Gathering the evidence needed to successfully prosecute is dif-ficult because offenders are wary of outsiders. Investigations require an undercover officer to be accepted into the underground, tight-knit community and witness dog fights.

Dog fighting is also bad news for any community in which it occurs.

Guns are common at dog fights because of the large amount of cash

present from admission fees and bets placed on the fights. Most of the profit associated with dog fighting comes from the admission fee paid by spectators and gambling on the outcome of the fights.

Dog fighting also has links to weap-ons and drug trafficking.

Large amounts of illegal drugs have been seized during raids on dog fights. During these raids, large-scale drug operations and underground

10

drug manufacturing labs have been discovered.

Dog fighters and spectators often take their children to dog fights, teach-ing them to believe that dog fight-ing is an acceptable form of recrea-tion, it is okay to inflict the cruelties they observe, and that violence is

entertaining. Research indicates that young children who view this type of violence have a greater acceptance of aggressive attitudes and behaviour.

As the dogs used in dog fight-ing are trained to be aggressive and vicious, their presence in the com-munity places other animals and people at risk of unprovoked attacks.

Dogs seized from dog fighting operations are held in local animal shelters as evidence until the trial of their owners and other participants is finished. Healthy dogs at these shelters often must be euthanized in order to free up space for the fight-ing dogs, who must also be killed after the trial as they are too ag-gressive to be safely kept as pets.

Footnotes

1 On August 27, Michael Vick formally entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Virginia. Vick will be sentenced on December 10. All three of his associates had previously changed their pleas to guilty; Tony Taylor will be sentenced on December 14 and Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips will be sentenced on November 30. As part of their plea bargains, Peace, Phillips, and Taylor had agreed to testify against Vick if the case went to trial. All four face a maximum five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

2 CNN. Dog fighting a booming business, experts say, www.canadaka.net/link.php?id=23073.

3 Toronto Star, July 19, 2007, page 4.

Dogs seized from dog fighting operations are held in local animal shelters as evidence until the trial of their owners and other participants is finished.

12

I didn’t mean to get another cat. Uh uh! I was at PetSmart just to buy cat litter and thought I would wander over to check out dog beds for my neighbour’s new collie pup. But something went amiss; as I rounded the corner, studiously

avoiding the cat adoption area, an invisible magnet pulled me forward and landed me square in front of Morris’ cage. Sitting in his litter box, he stared up at me with a look that said “Get me the heck out of here!”, or perhaps “I pick YOU!” I

The new adoptive parent of Morris, the abused cat rescued by ORA-Organization for the Rescue of Animals in October 2006, recounts how Morris won her heart and got a forever home for himself and for his friend Oreo.

By Susan Baird

Morris pick s his family


slipped through the doorway and asked to see him. When he wound around my legs, I sat him upon my lap and wrapped my arms around his plump little body. And then, much to my dismay, I burst into tears. “I can’t leave him here; I have to take him home.” The words came out of my mouth completely unbidden. And so, the plan was set. Morris was to become my cat.

Since I had to leave town shortly, I arranged to pick up Morris on my return. When I called to say that I was available to receive him in a few days, ORA organ-izer Claudia suggested that Morris could be delivered that same night. I felt like the mother of a premature baby who has not completed the layette!! I had decided that my upstairs office would be the ideal spot for Morris until he had met and integrated with my two tabby gals, Molly and Olivia. So, I dashed around making prepa-rations: out came the rug, in went two litter boxes, a placemat and bowls, toys, and blankets for the chairs. A laundry basket was pressed into service for a bed.

Then things started to take a slight turn. When the delivery time was confirmed, Claudia mentioned that she hoped Morris would not be too lonely without his best friend, Oreo. and vice versa. Oh. Oh dear! Oh my!! Hmmmmmmmm. Hadn’t I been told that sometimes it is easier to adopt two pets, rather than one? Fewer than two minutes after I hung up the phone, I called back and asked her to bring over Oreo as well. After all, what if Oreo couldn’t find a family of his own?

Okay. This is not to say I did this easily; I believe I won the dubious prize as Claudia’s most apprehensive New Mom. I didn’t want my kitties disrupted. “What planet

was I on?” I wanted to make sure I did the “right things” with the boys. The first night when I heard the cats cry-ing in the next room, I grabbed my pillow and afghan and slept on the hardwood floor curled up with them. When Oreo wouldn’t eat, I enticed him by holding tinned food on my finger. I placed a radio in their room for comfort.

I visited the room and played with them every few hours during the day. And, I walked around feel-ing like the sleep-deprived mother of newborn twins. Where was my manual? How did I know

when it was the right time to introduce Olivia and Molly? What a curse being a perfectionist!

Well, I was saved by my wonderfully practical friend Lynn, who announced that at some point the integration had to happen. Yes, there might be hissing and growling and some spats. But, since the cats had already shown great curiosity toward one another, why not get on with it? So on the third night, as I gingerly opened the office door to freedom, she whispered, “ Prison break!” to the boys. Side by side, Oreo and Morris tiptoed down the staircase into the wide world and introduced themselves to the girls.

Did I mention all that silly worrying? The whole episode couldn’t have gone better. By that night, the boys were snoozing on the bed with me and the gals were fine! It is only two weeks since Morris and Oreo arrived home, and we have the happiest of families. Morris is a great big cuddly teddy bear, who will snuggle with most anyone who sits on the couch. Oreo is

a long, lanky cat with legs that go on forever; he is athletic, graceful and moves at the speed of sound rather a combina-tion of Rudolph Nureyev and Mario Andretti. He keeps the whole household entertained with his antics, rough houses with his friend Morris and has charmed the girls. I love them all. And so begins the happily ever after cat-tale!

Morris pick s his family and rescues his pal Oreo!

14

One hour and a half from Toronto, the drive to Aspen Valley offers a variety of scenery, from the too familiar developments taking over cottage country to the pristine areas of wilderness with ponds covered in water lilies, when

unexpectedly, at a turn in the road we find ourselves in a large open valley, serene and quiet, even though hundreds of animals are housed here.

By Claudia Vecchio Photos by Keyhan

A v isit to Aspen Valle y Wildlife Sanctuary

Jay, one of the sanctuary’s main caregivers, receives a kiss from a wolf.


Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is an ideal wildlife rehabilitation facility: its good reputation and all the wonderful accounts we have heard about it, have brought us here today. The cabin set up as an office at the entrance of the valley is clean and functional, but modest; who gets the luxury treatment here are the animals.

The mission of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, a registered charity, is “to care for injured and orphaned wildlife, and once they are rehabilitated, return them to the wild” and in the event that the animals can-not be returned to the wild, they will be cared for at the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary also follows a no-kill principle.

A few minutes after our arrival, we meet the founder, Audrey Tournay. Audrey objects to the title ”founder’. “ I never intended….” I do not need her to finish the sentence, as “founder” of ORA- Organization for the Rescue of Animals, I know too well what she means. Most animal rescue organi-zations are not intentionally founded. You just start rescuing a few animals, then the word spreads around, and before you know, you are so overwhelmed with rescued animals at the point that you are obliged to enroll help and you find your-self heading an organization you never intended to create.

Audrey’s first experience with rescued wild ani-mals happened in St Catherine where she was teaching History of Art. One morning, one of Audrey’s colleagues asked her if she was willing to care for two orphans, baby skunk, she had found underneath the deck of her house. “I heard myself saying, yes”, recalls Audrey.

What started it all happened in 1970 when she moved to the 800 acres valley. She had then two goats, two horses and two dogs, and that is all that she thought she was going to have. “I was on my summer holidays from teaching when one day the conservation officer and his wife, who were my friends, brought me a baby raccoon, and they asked me to take care of him and I did. “

That baby raccoon was followed by many other animals brought in by other Conservation officers, by the Minister of natural resources, by humane societies and by the public. There were not many animal rehabilitation facilities at that time, and in fact there are not many now, so soon Audrey’s

valley was trans-formed in a animal rehabilitation center. Nowadays over 1000 animals pass every year through this facility, from different species of birds large (raptors) and small, to wolves, coyotes, bears, deer, raccoons and more. They receive the proper veterinarian care and the best of food and when the time comes, they are released back into the wild by the experienced staff of two: Tony who manages the facility and Jay, the wonderful and knowledgeable woman who gives us the tour of the center. Tony and Jay are the only employees on the facility, and they are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We meet them as they return from a successful Moose rescue in the woods a few miles away. They are extremely busy, year round, with the care of so many animals, but the busiest season is obviously the spring, when they can rarely sleep an entire night.

Fortunately, Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary can count on a small but dedicated group of volunteers. “It is impressive and encouraging to see how many young peo-ple really care,” says Audrey. During our visit, we meet several volunteers from Europe, young university stu-dents who are coming to the Sanctuary for 6 to 8 weeks to help with the care of the animals. European are par-ticular sensitive to the plight of wildlife conservation and rehabilitation since we grieve the total destruction of the European wildlife caused by our predecessors.

A v isit to Aspen Valle y Wildlife Sanctuary

over 1,000 animals are cared for each year at the sanctuary. Here is a great Horned owl.

16

To run an operation, as large as the Aspen Valley Sanctuary not only you do have to depend on a reliable manpower to clean and feed the animals and care for the different species of baby animals who need bottle feeding at all hours of the day and night, but you also need enormous financial resources to pay for the large quantities of food necessary to feed so many animals. The Sanctuary is very efficiently run. While we are touring the bear cubs’ area, a full load of apples is being discharged from a truck. We are happy to notice that the apples, sold at a discounted price by a local farm, are perfectly good fruit, not discards. The bears clearly enjoy them and with some 27 bear cubs, now at the Sanctuary, we are talking about a lot of apples! And this is just some food for one of the animal species. The Sanctuary has succeeded in secur-ing meat, past the expiry date, from local supermarkets so that the large carnivores, such as wolves and coyotes, can also eat good human graded meat.

All veterinarian care is provided free of charge from the four veterinarians at the Perry Sound Animal Hospital.

Just the day before they had skillfully performed a leg amputation on a fawn, hit by a car. And to say that in Toronto we cannot even get a simple few minutes procedure like a vaccination or neutering for free!

The fawn, as we could see, seemed to have recuper-ated well just one day after the operation, and when the time comes, he will be released. Through the years at the Sanctuary they have rescued and released a few three-legged deer as they are perfectly capable to adjust and live a normal life in the wild. It is unfortunate that most other wildlife rehabilitation facilities just find it easier to euthanize animals with some disabilities.

Audrey remembers when many years ago she received a blind baby raccoon rescued in Toronto, and they were debating whether to euthanize him. Finally the decision was made. Audrey had a speaking en-gagement that same day, and she told the audience that they had decided to let the blind baby raccoon live. “The first three rows burst in a roaring applause recalls Audrey. I was wondering what that was all

about, until they told me that they were all blind people and that they were living a good life. The raccoon had a good life for 13 years as I was waiting on him hand and foot.”

In observance of the no-kill principle, some animals who cannot be released are allowed to live at the Sanctuary until

this rare Albino raccoon is blind and deaf and obviously he cannot be released. He is one of the permanent residents at the sanctuary.

in observance of the no-kill principle, some animals who can-not be released are allowed to live at the sanctuary until the end of their natural lives. this gorgeous wolf lives comfortably on a private 5 acres forested enclosed area


the end of their natural lives. There are a few wolves, each com-fortably living on a 5 acres wooden enclosed area and Mama, a bear rescued 14 years ago from an individual who used her as bait to train the dogs to bear hunting. The poor bear was covered with punc-tures and gashes when she arrived at the Sanctuary. Her claws had been pulled out with pliers and her teeth had been sawed to make her defenceless. Thanks to the care she receives at the Sanctuary she is now living a peaceful life.

Amongst the permanent resi-dents at the Sanctuary there are also two exotic animals, a lynx, once used in television commer-cials and then discarded after she reached adulthood, and a female lion, Simba. Simba arrived at the Sanctuary when she was only three months old: she had been bought at an auction for $50.00 by a 17 year-old-girl. Obviously, her parents did not want a lion in their home, and no zoo was interested in taking her. She was going to be

euthanized so Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary decided to make space for her. Now 7 years of age, she lives in a several acres enclosure. Similar to dogs, lions get attached to one person only, and Simba has become best buddy with Tony, the manager of the Sanctuary. Tony even sleeps with her,

at times, in the enclosure. Curiously Simba was sprayed by a skunk when she first arrived at the Sanctuary at three months of age, and from that day on she has developed a strong aversion to skunks. To this day she carefully avoids them when they enter her enclosure.

Audrey is now retired, but she still spends almost every day at the Sanctuary, and she still take care of beavers, one of her favorite animal species.

“I love them,” she says, “ they are fantastic animals. I have hundreds of pictures of beavers. They are very intelli-gent creatures, extremely family-oriented and for that they are very difficult to raise: they can die of loneliness. When they arrive at the Sanctuary, it is because they lost their family, often blown up by dynamite either during road construc-tion or by private citizens on their own property. In Ontario, you are allowed to

mama, was rescued 14 years ago from an individual who used her as bait to train the dogs to bear hunting. the poor bear was covered with punctures and gashes when she arrived at the sanctuary. Her claws had been pulled out with pliers and her teeth had been sawed to make her defenceless. thanks to the care she receives at the sanc-tuary she is now living a peaceful life in a 5 acres enclosed area.

18

kill any beaver on your own property in any way you want as long as you do not disturb the fish.” I find that astonishing, are not beavers, the Canadian emblem animal?

Audrey is an encyclopedia of information about bea-vers. From her we learn that beavers live with their

parents for the first two years of their lives and during that time they help in raising the new born. Father bea-ver also helps, by assisting during the birth and cleaning the new born. Audrey has written a cute book, “Beaver Tales”, about some of the beavers she has rescued.

two of the 27 bear cubs presently at the sanctuary. the growth of these two cubs has been stunted by the hunger suffered before ending at the sanctuary


A sweet little story: a few years ago she had seven baby beavers at the Sanctuary, when a female adult beaver, hit by a car, was brought in. The day after, the female beaver seemed to have grown unusually big. When they approached her, they noticed that she had succeeded in reaching one of the orphan babies in the next cage, and she was snug-gling him close to her. One by one, she adopted all the seven orphans. The entire adoptive family was then released on a private lake where Audrey now lives. Last year those beavers built a den just 100 me-ters from her house. Now she can see them from her living room.

Audrey has a particular liking also for skunks, and she admires what she calls the “coyotes’ sense of humour”. She rejects all the negative anecdotic about coyotes spread by city people. She lov-ingly remembers a coyote that after having being released, stayed around for three years. He appeared every day on a small hill around the valley, and Audreys’s Border Collie used to join him, and the two used to go around together and sleep on the hill. Then in the evening when the dog was return-ing home, the coyote went his way.

Perhaps, one of the most distress-ing issue the Sanctuary has to deal with is the number of orphaned bear cubs. Although the spring bear hunt has been abolished, bear poach-ing continues throughout the year leaving behind a large number of orphan cubs. A few fortunate ones

are found and they are rescued by the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, while many other thousands perish from starva-tion in the woods with nobody to care for them. The bear fall hunt has been now advanced to appease the hunters for the cancellation of the spring hunt, and in the fall the bear

cubs, who are normally born in January, have not yet reached adulthood. Bears stay with their mothers until they are 1/1/2 year of age. It is very sad that some human beings consider it ‘recreational” to kill a bear, destroying an entire fam-ily and causing the death by starvation of the cubs just for a trophy or to sell the bear’s gall bladder to other distorted humans who consider it an aphrodisiac. At the Sanctuary, we have the chance to see a few bear cubs up close, saddened by the absence of their mothers, likely killed by one of such poachers. Two bear cubs were recently rescued, near death by starvation. Their growth have been stunted by lack of food, and immediately after the rescue, they passed in their stools, gravel that they likely ate to appease their hunger.

We asked Audrey for a recent happy-ending story to show that some humans do care for animals. She has one ready for us, something that just happened a few days be-fore A Kitchener fireman and his wife were spending their holidays at their cottage just off Georgian Bay when they noticed a little bear on a small island. They first followed the instructions and left him alone, but after 3 days, when the mother bear was still not in sight, they started worry-ing. They approached the bear who tried to escape running up a tree, but he was so weak he fell .The fireman picked him up and tried to feed him, but the bear’s heart stopped. The fireman told the bear; “No, do not die!” and placing his mouth over the bear cub’s nose, he started CPR. Almost three minutes later the fireman could feel the cub’s heart beat. That cub is now under the care of the Sanctuary, and it is doing well “That is a good man,” says Audrey. We agree.

Bear survival rate after release is quite high. A few years ago the Sanctuary participated in a research project on the

A young coyote, soon to be released. “coyotes have a grest sense of humour”, says Audrey.

two of the 27 bear cubs presently at the sanctuary. the growth of these two cubs has been stunted by the hunger suffered before ending at the sanctuary

20

survival rate of bears after release. Altogether, 60 bears were equipped with a radar collar. Of these sixty, 8 were killed by cars and two became nuisance bears. They were killed and all of the others happily survived. It is interest-ing that when bears come close to human habitat we call them a “nuisance” and we shoot them, while when humans take over bears’ territory, they are just called “developers”.

We spent a few hours touring the Sanctuary and we are positively impressed. The people here really care, and the animals are obviously their first and utmost concern. Unfortunately, one good wildlife rehabilita-tion facility is far from being sufficient to care for all the orphan and injured wild animals in need in Ontario.

We require many more wildlife rehabilitators and cer-tainly more caring ones, subscribing to the same prin-ciple that inspires Aspen Valley Wilidfe Sanctuary that “each creature has the right to life, and we must do everything we can to ensure that it has a good life.”

Aspem Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is open to the public Wednes-day and Sunday afternoons from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.; between the May long weekend and Thanksgiving weekend.

In the winter months they hold Cross-country Skiing and Snowshoeing. For more information please call 705 732 6368. or visit www.aspenvalleywildlifesanctuary.com/

from left to right, claudia vecchio of orA, Audrey tournay, founder of Aspen valley wildlife sanctuary with a baby skunk, standing behind, corinne thaw of orA and Jay, caregiver at the sanctuary with a baby raccoon.


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22

It happens a few times a day in On-tario, yet not only it does not make the headlines, but it passes com-

pletely unnoticed. Hundred of thousands of animals

are killed during this hunting season leaving many more thousands wound-ed, maimed, disoriented and orphaned. In most species, the babies are still liv-ing with their mothers at this time of the year and besides, many animals are made orphans even before the hunting season starts: poaching is alive and well in Ontario the year round, given the lack of political will to stop it and prop-erly prosecute it.

If you find orphaned wild animals and you call the Minister of Natural Resources, you will be told to “leave them where they are”. And as sad as it may be, if you want to comply with the law, you may not have any other al-ternative. In fact, in Ontario there are very few authorized wildlife rehabilita-tion facilities and their number keeps decreasing because of the difficulty in complying with unjustified release re-strictions imposed by the Minister of Natural Resources. Most of the exist-ing facilities will not care for orphans either because of the above mentioned restrictions or simply because of lack of funds or lack of will to allocate funds to the necessary 24 hrs. care of baby wild animals. As a result, some people decide to take matters into their hands and to raise the orphans on their own with the help of the copious informa-tion available on the internet. However, raising a wild animal requires a lot of expertise and knowledge, failing which the lives of the animals are jeopard-ized. Furthermore, you could even be

prosecuted for raising wildlife without a government licence. Also, there is an ar-ray of problems to deal with, including where and how to release the animal to ensure a smooth transition and the ani-mal’s survival in the wild.

Most people who find a orphan or in-jured wild animal are actively searching for help, and they are appalled to find out that there are few or no rehabilitators in their area able to care for those ani-mals. The need for wildlife rehabilitation facilities is now more pressing than ever since the massive destruction of forested land and the urban sprawl seriously en-dangers the wildlife. Regrettably, “today there are fewer than half the number of Authorized Wildlife Custodians that existed five years ago,” accord-ing to Donna DuBreuil, founder of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre, one of the wildlife rehabilitation centers that had to close because of the impossibility to meet the governmental wildlife release restrictions.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, for instance, imposes that orphaned wild animals be released within a 15 kilometer radius from where they were originally found. In the majority of the situations, these animals have been orphaned because of a perilous situation in the area where they were picked up; therefore, releasing them into the same area would be irre-sponsible. Also for orphans rescued in the city, the ministerial requirements would mean putting back the young animals into an immediate life threatening situa-tion since in our modern megalopolis the urban areas extend far beyond a 15 km radius. Any wildlife rehabilitation facility that transgresses the absurd ministerial re-lease restrictions is penalized with the loss

of the licence to operate. Unfortunately, that has happened to quite a few facili-ties, and there is no possible appeal against the ministerial decisions, which violate democratic principles. Furthermore, the release restrictions make it impossible to release animals on protected land owned by volunteers that may also be able to assist with the transitional care necessary when the wild animal is first released back into the wild.

The whole issue is that the Minister of Natural Resources is predominantly staffed by hunter and anglers, who view the wildlife as a patrimony to conserve in order to be used ( hunted). Obviously no value is placed on the life of the individual animal and the fact that the orphans would not be helped and would die of starvation does not bother their conscience; they are responsible for making many of those ani-mals orphans in the first place.

This is fortunately only the view of a minority, but it is reflected by the Minister of Natural Resources who gets his revenues from fishing and hunting licences. To the majority of the pub-lic the present situation is repugnant. Consequently, in order to adequately protect the wildlife and to allow wildlife rehabilitation services to properly oper-ate in the best interest of the animals, it is imperative to remove them from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and to place them in the care of an independent body, composed, amongst others, by animal rehabilitators and animal welfare organizations. An Ontario Wildlife Coalition, headed by Donna DuBreuil has been formed to urge the government toward this necessary change. For more information please visit www.helpbabywildlife.ca

By Teresa Pérett

Killer goes on rampage, six dead, including mother of five, orphans starving, authori-ties say: leave them where they are

24

L et’s face it, what cat could possibly resist the temptation of climbing an indoor living

evergreen? To top it off, it’s adorned with shiny balls dancing this way and that, and mom and dad are out for the day. And what puppy isn’t going to try his best to make a dash for it with a mouth-ful of tasty latkes as the family, backs turned, gather ‘round to light the meno-rah? After all, ‘tis the season, right?

There’s nothing wrong with cel-ebrating in the holiday spirit with your pets, buying them a little Christmas gift, or, if you’re really creative, bak-ing dreidel-shaped doggie biscuits for your pampered pup, but there are a lot of aspects to this time of year that require some more seri-ous thought in terms of pet safety.

The best way to be sure that your pets aren’t going to get into trouble over the holidays is as simple as this; don’t trust them for even a minute! When there’s a will, there’s a way. Your holiday preparations may be slightly tainted, but a serious injury or even the death of your beloved four-legged family member would surely result in a true blue Christmas.

First thing to do, get the whole family involved so that everyone’s aware of the items in your holiday-enchanted home that could be potentially hazard-ous to your tail-wagger or tomcat. Don’t leave the little ones out! Walk through the house with even your toddlers explaining safety tips, like why it’s not

foods that your pet should steer clear of. Bones

might seem like a real treat to give to your little guy or gal on the holiday, but don’t even think about it; they can be very dangerous if they splinter while

By Lindsay Soomet

Have a safe and happy holiday with your pet

keep all orna-ments out of reach from your furry friends. you could consider a Xmas tree without any decorations, for a natural woodsy look!

a good idea to touch things with chocolate-covered hands or leave holiday debris scattered throughout the house. A child, if educated, can save a pet’s life just as easily as an adult.

Some people assume that animals have an instinctual sense of fire, and are driven away by its glow, but that doesn’t mean they can’t knock a candle off of your coffee table, or skim their tail through the flame only to realize a little too late. Keep all of your sea-sonal wicks out of reach. Remember that for pets, jumping up is fun, especial-ly when it’s a challenge, so place candles, lanterns and any other flame-lit décor up even higher than you think you should. A house fire or in-jury is the last thing you need at such a glorious time of year.

As pet owners, we are all aware of just how much our precious ones love food – especially people-food, when they can get their paws on it! There are, however, several holiday


Have a safe and happy holiday with your pet

chewing, and can even kill. If you do choose to give your dog a bone, make sure it’s raw, and have them eat it under close supervision. Other grub for two-legged-folk-only includes chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions, macadamia nuts, walnuts, animal fat, fried foods, to-matoes, avocados, nutmeg and certain types of mush-rooms. All of these listed could result

in a visit to the vet, or worse, during your festive occasion.

Our favourite pals don’t stop at craving people-food, they’ll eat just about anything if given the chance! Around the holidays, there are always new and exciting items they’d love to sink their teeth into. A puppy will go

sick with stress. If you know your pet is prone to anxiety, keep them in an upstairs or separate room with all of their necessities until the party’s over and the guests have cleared out. You should also advise guests to refrain from feeding your animals any of the fare you’re serving as they may not be aware of the potential danger involved.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree – you’re one of the paramount risks to our canines and felines during the holiday season. The place looks bare without a tree, right? Just be very careful. Many traditions surround-ing the cherished, adorned tree can cause your pet harm. Do you really want to come home to your little one with his paws behind his back, wound up tight and wrapped in strands of popcorn, glass balls and ornaments? When ingested, tinsel, pine needles, ribbons and strings are often removed only by surgery. If you feel the need to have a tree, find one where the needles fall off less, and keep all ornaments out of reach from your furry friends. If that means having not a single decoration on your tree, then it sounds like you’re opting for the natural woodsy look this year!

More than anything else this season, have fun, be creative and try the best you can to incorporate your pets into the festive time of year. Go for a holiday evening walk or cozy up by the fire together, because it is, after all, the time for rejoicing.

“Our favourite pals don’t stop at

craving people-food, they’ll eat just

about anything if given the chance!

Around the holidays, there are al-

ways new and exciting items they’d

love to sink their teeth into.”

for any new item; books, lampshades, bonsai trees. Plants can be deadly, and for some reason, the vegetation we’ve chosen as symbolically festive seem to be some of the most lethal specimens. The best way to prevent your lit-tle monster from taking a bite they regret is to simply not allow harmful plants into your home or to keep them positively far, far away from where your pets roam. Some of the plants that can’t go unnamed are Holly, Amaryllis, Mistletoe, Poinsettia, Christmas cactus and the frequented Lily.

You wouldn’t guess, but even your friends and family can be a hazard to your animals during this time of year. Some pets have a harder time than others dealing with hoards of what they see as strangers, trampling through their turf day-in and day-out, for a solid week straight! The guests you choose to celebrate the holidays with can therefore inadvertently cause your fluffy one to become literally

26

Mceed by Dave Devall of CTV•

Wonderful appetizers•

Classical, jazz and seasonal tunes played by a cham-•ber piano and string quartet

Buffet for the dogs with natural treats of all sorts •

Flavourful Muttinis drinks for your pooch•

Dog fashion show•

Photos with Santa and more.•

Your dog will also enjoy a free relaxing massage by •a small animal massage therapist and free manicure by a qualified manicurist.

Silent action and wonderful draw prices available.•

Tickets are $55.00 , supporter $75.00 Advance sale only

Please reserve today, limited seating available. •

Dogs will be admitted free of charge•

To reserve please call Claudia at 416 726 5762•

For corporate sponsorship please call Corinne at 416 •726 8895

Go to a Christmas party with your dog!

Some comments from last year

“ Both my dog and I really en-joyed the event last year, we had a lot of fun , we are coming back this year” —J. Elliott

“ Everything was great, the entertainment for the dogs, the food and the atmosphere.” —L. Fitzpatrick

“It is extraordinary to be able to go to a Christmas party with you dog in a luxury hotel. From now on that will be part of my yearly season celebrations: besides my dog deserve it!“ —V. Poirier

Sunday December 2nd, 2007 From 2:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.

Novotel Toronto Centre 45 The Esplanade, Toronto,

The second annual Christmas Cocktail Party for dogs and their human companions

Proceeds go to the care of the companion animals rescued by ORA-Organization for the Rescue of Animals


“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

—Albert Einstein

It is very sad to see how some humans can act with such cold brutality!Every evening, after dinner,

Anthony, who under his strong ap-pearance hides a compassionate heart for the animals, takes a stroll around his Woodbridge neigh-bourhood to enjoy, as he says, the wonders of God’s Creation.

One recent evening, he stumbled upon a most disturbing scene. Two adult men, 30 to 40 years of age, had cornered a raccoon who entered their yard, and they were mercilessly beat-ing the poor animal with a stick. All this was done in the presence of their children who were crying and plead-ing for the beating to stop. Being an animal lover, Anthony immediately intervened to protect the raccoon while the two individuals attempted to assault him with the same stick that they were using on the raccoon.

Unfortunately for them, Anthony has some 30 years of experience in the art of Shaolin Kung Fu, which he used in a most effective manner

to subdue the two villains, leaving them crying and withering in pain on the same ground where they were trying to spill the blood of a defence-less raccoon. The raccoon survived the ordeal and escaped with minimal injury, but Anthony was arrested for assault and battery, even though he was acting to defend an innocent animal.

Interestingly the police did not arrest the two individuals for animal abuse. We really wonder why. Those two men were not only trying to beat the raccoon to death, but they also attempted to assault Anthony. They suffered no legal consequences, while, on the contrary, Anthony was arrested and jailed overnight.

The next day as Anthony was await-ing his turn to go before the Justice of the Peace, he had a meeting with the Crown Attorney to describe what had happened. He explained that given his spiritual and religious beliefs, he had no choice but to intervene on behalf of the raccoon, one of God’s creatures.

The crown attorney then decided

that she would not be pursuing charges against Anthony, and he was free to go. A wonderful story of an act of courage from a man who put himself on the line to protect a defenceless animal. Often people tell us about their neighbours poisoning, beating and even shoot-ing raccoons, cats or other animals, but they refuse to reveal their names or to report them to the authorities because they fear consequences for themselves. That makes this story so particularly significant and inspiring.

We also applaud the Crown Attorney for showing her support and understanding for someone who intervened in the defence of a help-less animal. We strongly feel that the two abusers should have been charged with animal abuse. In any case the two cowards may have learned their lesson, having experienced on their skin what they were inflicting to the raccoon.

Tiger Pai Hu Seng is a Shaolin Priest and a supporter of ORA-Organi-zation for the Rescue of Animals

By tiger Pai Hu seng

Two bullies are taught a lesson

28

T heir story begins in the stables, paddocks and fields of rural Canada. Newborn

foals, endearing with their deep, soul-ful eyes and wobbly innocence, have become nearly as vulnerable to future harm as any livestock animal on our nation’s soil.

Referred to as “crops” of foals, they

are simply a commodity on many breeding and hobby farms as well as Pregnant Mare Urine (Premarin) ranches. Undesirable animals are culled and shipped to auction marts, where “killer” buyers swarm. Meat sales accept not only the old and the lame, but equines of all sizes, colours, ages, and breeds. It is not unusual to

see even miniature horses and don-keys paraded about in auction rings.

Frightened young foals, force-weaned and separated from their mothers at about three months of age or younger, can be found at September auctions throughout Canada. Animal welfare violations abound. Although the Recommended Code of Practice

“Help us lead Canada’s horses away from barbarism . . . and into the protected pastures of a civilized nation.” by Sinikka Crosland

Protecting Ca nada’s Horses


After years of public awareness work, our horse protection allies south of the border have achieved monumental strides. Only one equine slaughterhouse remains in operation today in the U.S.; Cavel International (DeKalb, Illinois) is operating on a temporary permit only. It is ex-pected that the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, already supported by a majority of the House of Representatives in September 2006 (but failing to pass before the end of the 109th Congress), will soon be-come law. This act will prevent horses from being slaughtered in the U.S. for human consumption and, additionally, will prohibit the export of live horses for the same purpose. Both Canadian and U.S. horse advocates are hoping for speedy enactment of the AHSPA. In the meantime, equines from the United States are crossing borders into Canada and Mexico, where many will join our nation’s ill-fated horses in becoming slaughter and live export statistics. In anticipation of a lucrative market in horseflesh, Canadian equine abattoirs have now mushroomed to six: one in B.C. (Westwold), two in Alberta (Lacombe and Fort Macleod), one in Saskatchewan (Neudorf), and two in Québec (Massueville and St. André-Avellin). Over 50,000

equine lives were lost to the horse slaughter industry in 2006, and we fully expect those numbers to be far higher as this year draws to a close.

Public reaction to the slaughter of horses for human consumption is often one of astonishment and revul-sion. Shrouded in secrecy for decades, this industry has gained notoriety simply as a result of an outcry from passionate horse advocates throughout the world. Investigations conducted by groups such as the European Animals’ Angels organization have sent shock waves throughout the in-ternational animal welfare communi-ty. A recent report published on their website describes the appalling treat-ment of horses at an equine slaugh-terhouse in Quebec, including such scenarios as a horse left shuddering

governing PMU operations states that foals should not be weaned prior to the age of three months, the young-est “Premarin” horse salvaged from a meat auction by TRACS (The Responsible Animal Care Society) was tiny six-week-old Jasper. His best friend, Jasmine, a filly of only eight weeks, was rescued as well. Another heart-rending example involved Angel, a three-month-old PMU foal who stumbled, shaking, into the auc-tion ring and was quickly added to that year’s already-overflowing quota of rescue cases. Marks resembling rope burns darkened her swollen neck; X-rays later confirmed a cervi-cal fracture. Miraculously, Angel’s broken neck healed, and today she is happy, healthy, and pain-free. But we are left to wonder what violence she had to endure, possibly when being forcibly separated from her mother.

The above are but a few of the numerous compassion cases that sur-face every single year and are docu-mented regularly by equine rescue organizations. Many other animals slip through the cracks and become victims of a killing industry whose tentacles are reaching far across the nation. Recently we have observed a proliferation of equine slaughter activ-ities in Canada. What is fueling this?

Protecting Ca nada’s Horses“One of the biggest

lies spewed by industry proponents

is that horse slaughter is a

humane way to dis-pose of unwanted, homeless animals.”

30

in the killing box while workers went on break. In addition, because of the layout of the facility, horses are forced to watch as herd mates ahead of them are killed.1 Death occurs at some

abattoirs by way of a 22 gauge rifle, aimed at the head of a terrified horse who is attempting to escape the smell and sight of blood. Multiple shots may be needed to kill a horse in this state. Other slaughterhouses use a cap-tive bolt stun gun which supposedly renders an animal insensible before she is bled out and butchered—but

only if correctly ap-plied. It is clear that gross violations of even the most basic animal welfare prin-ciples can occur dur-ing this high-stress assembly-line process.

One of the big-gest lies spewed by industry proponents is that horse slaughter is a humane way to dispose of unwanted, homeless animals.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Horse slaughter is not humane euthanasia. In addition to the intense, crippling psychological stress suf-fered by these intelligent beings as they enter the kill facility, a quick, painless death is no guarantee as slaughterhouse personnel grapple with panicking horses and a fast-paced work environment. Further, the very nature of such a job fosters insensitiv-ity to animal suffering. There is no comparison between death via lethal injection performed by a qualified professional and the terror-filled, often prolonged ending to life suf-fered by animals in a slaughterhouse.2

Those not in favour of a ban on equine slaughter frequently argue that unwanted horses must be sent to market because there is no other solu-tion. They maintain that our country would soon be rife with homeless horses if we were to end this disposal method. On the contrary, since the state of California outlawed equine slaughter in 1998, the incidence of

“With the assistance of the general

public, it is highly possible

that the battle for the lives of one

species—the horse —will be won,

and a movement of reform will

sweep the entire

livestock industry.”

Almost all the horsemeat processed in canada by the six licensed horse abattoirs is exported to europe and Asia fetching an estimated $60-million annually.

Last

Cha

nce

for A

nim

als

(LC

A).

Jasper and Jasmine were only six and eight weeks old when they were separated from their mother used in a Pmu farm and sent to a meat auction. rescued by trAcs (the responsible Animal care society) they were amongst a few of the lucky ones to escape a cruel death.


neglect cases did not rise, and horse theft actually decreased by 34%. In addition, when Cavel in DeKalb, Illinois, was destroyed by fire in 2002, horse abuse had dropped by about 100 cases by the end of the following year. (Until 2002, statistics had shown an annual increase of approximately 100 new equine abuse incidents.)

If horse slaughter were abolished, where would all the animals go? They would be sold, adopted out, sent to sanctuaries (numbers of which are

growing in Canada), or retained by their families. Most importantly, many foals would not be born at all. Ending horse slaughter would increase public accountability, from the rural family home to the world of breed-ers. Removing an “easy out” disposal system would eventually result in fewer horses bred, increased likeli-hood of finding good homes for exist-ing horses and a more concentrated effort made to secure those homes.

It should be noted that under

current federal legislation in Canada, horses have little protection, and provincial laws vary in their ability to shield horses from suffering. Although attempts have been made to update the Criminal Code’s anti-cruelty statutes, animals in general, at this time, have no more than a pathetic level of protection that was enacted over a century ago.3 Additionally, horses are considered “livestock” animals under Canadian law, plac-ing them at easy risk of exploitation

Angel, a three-month-old Pmu, rescued from a meat auction by trAcs (the responsible Animal care society)

32

by the food industry, and they are, therefore, as readily victimized as any other livestock animal. However, in the hearts of many Canadians, horses are valued as companions. A 2004 Ipsos-Reid poll revealed that almost 2/3 (64%) of Canadian respond-ents do not believe in slaughtering horses for human consumption.4

Surely all animals are deserving of our profound respect, protection, and compassion. With the assist-ance of the general public, it is highly possible that the battle for the lives of one species—the horse—will be won, and a movement of reform will sweep the entire livestock indus-try. With the U.S. on the brink of major legislative change, the time for Canadians to act on behalf of horses is now. Slaughter is the ultimate act of betrayal, and the suffering that

accompanies every facet of this industry can be overlooked no more. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek the support of their Members of Parliament in an effort to raise the bar for these noble, beautiful, and highly intelligent animals.

May peaceful pastures, not barbarism, be the legacy that we leave to future Canadians.

Sinikka Crosland is the President and Co-founder of TRACS, The Responsible Animal Care Society and the Executive Director of the Canadian Horse Defense Coali-tion www.defendhorsescanada.org

the Pmu (for Pregnant mares’ urine ) industry involves the prolonged confinement of pregnant mares and the collection of their hormone-rich urine for the production of an estrogen replacement drug, Premarin. this industry has been linked with extensive abuse of horses. often considered disposable by-products of this type of factory farming, the lives of count-less foals over the decades have ended in slaughterhouses and their flesh has been shipped to overseas markets.

References

Canadian Horse ●

Defense Coalition: www.defendhorsescanada.org

The Responsible Animal ●

Care Society (TRACS): www.tracs-bc.ca

Footnotes

www.animals-angels.com 1. (Animals’ Angels United States and Canada)

www.sharkonline.org2.

www.cfhs.ca/law/federal_3. legislation/ (Canadian Federation of Humane Societies)

www.ipsos-na.com/news/4. pressrelease.cfm?id=2252 (“Canadians on Horse Slaughter”, Ipsos-Reid)


the Pmu (for Pregnant mares’ urine ) industry involves the prolonged confinement of pregnant mares and the collection of their hormone-rich urine for the production of an estrogen replacement drug, Premarin. this industry has been linked with extensive abuse of horses. often considered disposable by-products of this type of factory farming, the lives of count-less foals over the decades have ended in slaughterhouses and their flesh has been shipped to overseas markets.

Timeless Memories

24 Centre Street,Thornhill

905.707.5770

www.horvathphoto.com

Gift Certificates are Available

34

By Isabel Anderson

I n North America and many parts of Europe, people still believe that having a black cat cross your path will bring you ill fortune. However in Britain,

it is white cats who are regarded as bring-ing bad luck, while encountering a black cat means good fortune.

In ancient Britain, the Druids thought black cats were humans who were being punished for evil deeds. Among early Christians, many of the new converts considered black cats to be “kin of the devil because they were sacred in pagan lands and therefore evil beyond redemp-tion”. In their minds, good and evil were like white and black so it wasn’t much of a stretch for them to see black cats as expression of evil.

During the Middle Ages cats became the embodiment of darkness, mystery, and evil and were believed to possess frightening powers. If a black cat walked into the room of an ill person, and the person later died, it was blamed on the cat’s supernatural powers. If a black cat crossed a person’s path without harming him, meant that the person was then protected by the devil.

This fear of cats led to a decimation of the cat population which in turn played a key role in the spread of the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death. Without enough cats to keep them in check, the rat popula-tion exploded and many became hosts to fleas infected with the bubonic plague; the fleas then jumped from the rats to humans, infecting them with the disease. During that period, black cats were particularly perse-cuted, near to extinction, and that is said to be the reason while still nowadays it is rare to find black cats without some white marks.

Black cats and Hallowe’enFor centuries, cats in general, and black

cats in particular, were associated with witches. It was generally believed that witch-es’ familiars were always cats and that black cats were witches in disguise: accusers often claimed that they were followed or tormented by witches in the shape of cats.

This credence that witches transformed themselves into black cats to prowl streets unobserved became a central belief in

As any rescue organization or shelter will tell you, the hardest cats to adopt are black cats, followed by black and white cats. This may be a result of their past association to witchcraft and of the enduring myth that black cats are carriers of bad luck. It has to be added that, traditionally, black is considered to be the colour of “evil” and black magic.

B L A C K C A T S f a c t s a n d f i c t i o n

This credence that witches transformed

themselves into black cats to prowl streets

unobserved be-came a central

belief in America during the Salem

witch hunts.


B L A C K C A T S f a c t s a n d f i c t i o n

Black cats are still paying with their

lives the hard to die irrational and un-

founded beliefs. Of all colours, black

cats, given the low adoption rate, are

the ones most predominantly eu-

thanized each year in shelters across North America.

36

America during the Salem witch hunts.Cats often found shelter with

older women living alone, becoming a source of comfort and companion-ship. Anyone who mistreated the cat might be cursed by the woman and if one of these tormentors became ill, the “witch” and her “familiar” were blamed.

For several centuries, witches were rounded up, tried, and killed by burning, drowning and other violent methods. Their cats were often killed along with them

Black cats and witches are popu-lar costumes and decorations for Hallowe’en. The use of witches and cats in the celebration of Hallowe’en originates with the Druids, who

believed that ghosts, spirits, fairies, witches, elves and all types of super-natural manifestations emerged on Hallowe’en night to possibly harm the living. Samhain, an ancient Celtic celebration, is sometimes called the “Witches New Year” (the Celtic year begins and ends with Samhain, the third and last of the harvest celebra-tions observed by ancient pagans).

Around Hallowe’en, sadistic people seek out black or white cats to torture and kill; if a black or white cat is not available, then any cat will do. All black, all white, and black and white cats are the most at risk of being abused. Many humane societies and shelters

will not adopt out black or white cats in the weeks before Hallowe’en. Some organizations will not permit the adoption of black, white, and combina-tion two-color black during October.

If your cat is accustomed to using an outdoor enclosure, keep her or him indoors around Hallowe’en to avoid her or him becoming a victim of sadistic people.

If you are giving out treats or having guests over for a party, make sure that your furry friend is kept in a quiet room with the door shut so that he or she cannot escape out-side. Strangers, especially ones in Hallowe’en costumes, could frighten your cat into bolting outside.

these back kittens are looking forward to a protected and happy life. Black cats have been persecuted for centuries by the machinations of evil human minds.


Black cats todaySuperstitious beliefs are hard to eradicate because as beliefs they belong to the realm of fantasy rather than science. That partly explains, but does not justify why in our times, dominated by scientific discoveries and constant technological advancements there are still people who avoid black cats. Even some self-proclaimed “cat lovers” do not want to adopt black cats. Black cats are still paying with their lives the hard to die irrational and unfounded beliefs. Of all colours, black cats, given the low adoption rate, are the ones most predominantly euthanized each year in shelters across North America. Many adult black cats are now waiting for the last chance to life in any pound or shelter near you. When you adopt a black cat, you really save a life!

Like any other colour cat, black cats have all different characteristics and personalities; there are round face black cats, pointed faces, green eyes, yellow eyes, short, medium and long hair ones. Some black cats with elongated faces boast traits similar to Siamese cats, and

they have the characteristic Siamese’s meowing. In fact Siamese cats, who are famous for their coloured “points”, are genetically black and kittens with only one Siamese parent are usually solid black rather than “pointed”.

Nowadays black cats have obviously also their advocates and their admir-ers. To satisfy the demand of black cats with exotic features, a breed of black cats, the American Bombay cats , has even been specially created in 1958 in Louisville,Kentucky, by deliberately breeding a black American Domestic shorthair with a Burmese. The product is a domesticated cat that resembles a wild panther. What all black cats have in common, Bombay, Siamese descend-enats, or just Domestic Shorthair, is the elegance of their strides and the radiance of their shiny velvety coats.

In my lifetime, I’ve lived with one black cat and four black and white cats without my luck being affected one way or the other. As comedian Groucho Marx once put it, “A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.”

Many adult black cats are

now waiting for the last

chance to life in any pound

or shelter near you. When you

adopt a black cat, you really

save a life!

38

Please mention this ad when calling for an appointment. For readers of Animal News, I will donate the proceeds from therapeuticmassages to ORA-Organization for the Rescue of Animals.

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40

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Campaigning for and financing •spaying and neutering in order to contain pet over-population

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ORA —Organization for the Rescue of Animals, is a registered charitable organization, 100% volunteer based, promoting the humane treatment of all animals and the preservation of wildlife.

ORA operates in and around the Greater Toronto Area and we are working for the well-being and protection of all our fellow animals. While any animal species is the object of our concern (dogs, raccoons, skunks, bears, coyotes, etc.), and while we are devoted to protect their rights and interests, we have found ourselves largely involved with the rescue of cats. In this field ORA is committed mainly to:

All proceeds from the sale of this magazine go to the animals under the care of ORA - Organization for the Rescue of Animals

Dav

id Y

oung

Dav

id Y

oung

from left to right: Alex, orange tabby, sophie, medium hair calico and Zoe, medium hair tabby and cream. sweet, sweet kittens, 8 weeks old

kryistie, delicate silver tabby, playful and cuddling

Phot

o by

Ray

Vel

la

sophie is a 9 week, affectionate black kit-tie with an interesting white undercoat

Phot

o by

Ray

Vel

la

ADOPTiOn CenTRe

more kittens: three adorable siblings, Jojo, male tabby, extremely affectionate, he never tires of cuddling, cindy, gorgeous middle hair cream and grey calico, sweet and very inquisitive and tiny Pearl, the smallest of the litter, an unusually intelligent little girl. exceptional kitties looking for an exceptionally caring home!

For more information on these and other pets for adoption please visit:www.ora-animalrescue.org/adoption.phpor call 416. 726. 8895.

who cares for the orphans? 2007.pdf · whitby pet valu 601 dundas st. w. whitby, ontario tel: 905...

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