In the next few days, the story behind what lead to the deaths of the animals at the Toronto Humane Society will likely make itself known and there will be much debate and discussion and perhaps more rage and tears. People will want to know who to blame and why it happened. If the whole truth comes out, some people may be surprised, some not. Some will take the facts at face value and say I told you so. Others will try to come up with alternate theories which conform to their world view and say I told you so. But none of that is about the animals. That's about propping up our own beliefs and winning the prize in the who's right who's wrong competition. I know because I've been there.
The only things that matter are the animals remaining in that facility and making sure what happened on Friday doesn't become an institutional habit. Friday has shown all of us what happens when the people who actually care about the animals don't work together towards something and instead fall at each other like enemies.
I believe there is only one feasible way forward for the THS and that is to get rid of the present board, hold elections for a new board and rebuild.
The one major obstacle to that is the refusal of the present board to resign. The way the board is acting, they would rather see the THS rot than give up their status and power. If they feel that by resigning, people will think they are admitting to having betrayed the animals, well I can only say that if Friday is any indication, then for them to stay in power is proving the exact same thing.
Whether or not one thinks the board is directly responsible for the present condition the THS is in right now, they are certainly responsible, just by their continued reluctance to step down, for keeping the THS mired in the state it's in. If the board resigns or is forced out, the THS can move forward. With them in place, this will not happen. If you believe the animals at the THS deserve a better chance, the board must go.
Many feel the OSPCA must go as well. I believe the OSPCA will leave but only once the present board is gone and elections are held for a new board. The OSPCA, with the full backing of the courts, will absolutely not allow the THS to return to the way it was. Some would argue that even if the board leaves there is no guarantee that the OSPCA will leave. I don't agree but I'm pretty sure that the best way to make sure the OSPCA stays at the THS is to allow the present board to stay in power.
Either way, the board must go in order for the THS to heal.
But that's only the first step.
Protesting is easy. The hard part is building. The hard part is working cooperatively with others towards something which is not readily apparent nor easily achievable. Creating a real Humane Society is not a cakewalk and it'll be apparent very quickly who is up to the task and who is just talk and if it turns out that most people are just talk, then a new THS ain't going to happen or it's going to happen on someone else's terms. If you want the THS the way you want it, you have to build it.
More on that soon, I hope.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
29 comments:
The current THS board has proposed a new election. Only 3 of the current 15 want to run again. The OSCPA does not agree with this proposal and have decided that they'd rather have it dealt with in court on April 6th. The THS are not in control at the moment the OSCPA is. The OSCPA has no desire to work with anyone. They're bullies and liars who do whatever is necessary to get their own way, no matter how many animals have to be euthanized in the process.
BTW if protesting is so easy, you should have been there today.
Christine, prove it. Prove what you say about the board wanting to resign. If you prove it, I will be more than happy to print it.
And I'm sorry I failed to measure up to your standards, but protesting is easy, especially when compared to doing something constructive. I'm not against protesting but I would hope that there is a purpose beyond just protesting. The question still remains, what are you going to do next to help build the THS? If you have a plan, then let's have it.
Here's a plan: EVERYONE write letters/e-mails to your MPP, the Minister of Community Safety and the Premier; the MPs and the Prime Minister; to city councillors, the mayor and the mayoral hopefuls.
Tell them you want funding from all levels of government for mandatory and free spay-neutering clinics. Tell them you want to turn the THS from a shelter into a free clinic. Also tell them you want the breeding and the sale of pets for profit banned completely.
If we don't cut this problem at the source, it will never go away.
Protests are extremely important. If we hadn't been out there in the cold rain yesterday, holding up signs and shouting, nobody would have known about the 25 animals that were needlessly killed. Not everyone reads special-interest blogs.
But because we were there, everybody knows. It's just a step, but it was a vital one. People were drinking the OSPCA kool-aid and animals were dying because of it.
Now we need to stop shouting and have a conversation.
The only thing the THS management and the old board had going for it as far as I was concerned was that it held those precious lives in its hands. Now that it has acquiesced in their killing I have no use for either side. Neither one showed any compassion for the staff, the volunteers, or those beloved furry souls. I was at the protest to signify my disgust at the loss of those innocent friends of mine. I feel the public needs to know that these were not "very aggressive" animals who were killed for humane reasons. The protest called attention to that.
With respect to moving forward, I am completely with you, Fred. The number one thing we all need to get together to do is put a plan in place so that nothing like this can happen again. I can't even begin to tell you how traumatized the volunteers are (and the staff I have spoken to). It wasn't just the brutal deed itself, but the lack of humanity in how they did it. Our hearts are breaking. We owe it to our fallen dogs (and oh so many cats) to work together to ensure that this fate does not befall any others. In the meantime, I am rather confident that none of us have slept much in the past 3 days, and when we have managed to close our eyes, we have been haunted by the image of a happy grunting piggie-like dog proudly carrying a squeaky toy in his mouth, trotting so trustingly at our sides to the dog park, and then relinquishing that much prized toy to climb up some stairs and sit quietly beside us with his head in our lap, as if he knew what was coming and wanted to let us know it wasn't our fault. (Okay so that is just my image of one dog....there are so many other memories that people are cherishing now of all 6)
What myself and most of my fellow dog walkers have wanted from the beginning is a NEW Board with people on it who believe in the THS as REFUGE, as sanctuary as well as shelter, with an emphasis on rehabilitation, compassion and a concerted effort to create a teneble, working NO KILL facility in a form in which it was meant to exist. See Nathan Winograd's No Kill Nation material and you describe what most of us would love to see in place.
What we do NOT want is the OSPCA brand of affiliation - where the 'type' of animal considered acceptable is limited and severely detailed and where any animal not meeting their severe and unforgiing criteria is either refused or disposable.
Lil'Mac, "I feel the public needs to know that these were not "very aggressive" animals who were killed for humane reasons. The protest called attention to that."
Point taken.
Darlene: "Here's a plan: EVERYONE write letters/e-mails to your MPP, the Minister of Community Safety and the Premier; the MPs and the Prime Minister; to city councillors, the mayor and the mayoral hopefuls.
Tell them you want funding from all levels of government for mandatory and free spay-neutering clinics. Tell them you want to turn the THS from a shelter into a free clinic."
Now this I can get behind 100%!!!!
G&C
Actually, many of us (myself included) have done exactly THAT many times and will continue to do so.
For dogs, I think that training is almost as important as spay/neuter, since so many of them end up unwanted not just because of a numbers game but because they have never been trained to fit well within the human world. The THS needs to be a leader in this regard. There needs to be training of dogs beforehand (rather than just assessing their existing temperament and declaring them unadoptable). There needs to be post-adoption resources provided and follow-up support to ensure that adopters continue with training. And perhaps if there were resources available to help those members of the public who can't handle their dogs, a lot fewer would be surrendered.
For cats, spay/neuter is the absolute key. There are just so many--it is so heartbreaking.
THS has put up a statement on their FB page.
http://bit.ly/bkG3Ql
sounds like another barge of lard to me. "concerns around safety"? were the dogs wired to explode, for crissakes?
I'm absolutely disgusted... READ about these dogs - these are people, like me, who have dealt with them day in and day out - some people have commented "so and so was the first dog I walked at the THS" - if there were severe temperment issues, don't you think SOMETIME over the past several years they would have become obvious?? Fred, even you admitted that you didn't find them tempermental when you and Mel photographed them, correct? This is cover up crap.
and why the "legal issues" suddenly - when allthe other dogs that went to rescues - inside and outside the province- were not an issue?
I hope "the story behind what lead to the deaths of those animals" makes itself known.
From what I have read, the decisions to euthanize this group by both agencies is grossly unacceptable.
If it is true that these animals, the dogs, at least, had confirmed rescues or placements ready and willing to take them, then I'd really like to know more about the legality-of-transport (or other) issues that stood in the way. In the face of willing places for these animals to go, what possible justification was there to kill them? If there was evidence that the animals were suffering psychologically or otherwise because of their confinement, it might be different if they had no place to go to escape that confinement. But given the suggestion not only that there were places that could take them, but specific ones that were actually waiting (knowing, perhaps, of any issues the animals might have - which it seems there were none of significance), what possible explanation is there? The fact that there is this cone of silence makes the conduct of both the THS and OSPCA that much more unpalatable to the outside observer...
I'm especially curious since, it's my understanding that these pit bulls would not have been the first to be transported out of province - alive.
Thanks for the diatribe Houndward Bound. Do you really think that when Ghandi protested or when civil rights leaders protested, that was the end of it? Protesting was just the start. The really hard work comes after, it's just that the work isn't as glamorous so it doesn't make the news.
I have protested in front of the THS, a few times, and compared to the work that it's going to take to fix the place, the protesting was easy (and necessary as I've agreed to in a previous comment).
Most of your questions are inane and unresearched. If you've read any of this blog, you'd know where I stand on most of those issues. As for your assertion that the OSPCA is the grand puppet master behind everything evil at the THS, have you read Jerome's letter and if that still doesn't sway you at all because Jerome is obviously under some kind of OSPCA mind control then why don't you call Bob Hambley about his role in the approval of the recent euthanasias and see what he has to say? Or is he under the sway of the OSPCA as well?
Chaos in Ontario is not new...
Spring of 2006 29 out of 36 OSPCA board members resigned. CEO Judy Marshall left too. Shortly thereafter Chief Inspector Mike Draper resigned. June 2007 CEO Kate MacDonald was hired. December 2009 Chief Inspector Hugh Coghill left. The Guelph Humane Society and the Hamilton Burlington SPCA are currently in crisis.
The THS battle is but one of several. In my opinion a new board cannot guarantee positive, permanent change.
Without a legal mechanism to hold the THS accountable in perpetuity you'll be fighting the same battle again in a few years.
MPPs cannot touch the THS. That's the OSPCA's job under current legislation.
Since there are concerns about the OSPCA you're thinking to approach the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Minister Bartolucci will let you know in no undertain terms, his Ministry does NOT administer or oversee the Ontario SPCA.
The Ombudsman's hands are tied. He can't touch the OSPCA or the THS. They're NON governmental agencies.
What about obtaining internal information to put the rumour mills to rest. Not happening. The OSPCA is not subject to Freedom of Information.
Ontario's animal welfare system really is the secretive, impenetrable, convoluted, power and donation focused mess we're seeing.
All of that could be fixed in a heartbeat with a clause enshrining accountabiliy, transparency and independent oversight added to the provincial animal act.
MPPs would then be able to step in on behalf of their constituents.
I wept as I read about those beautiful dogs. My sincere condolences to all those who knew them and cared for them.
I was just wondering something after reading someone`s comment somewhere(Can`t remember where)
It mentioned problems with transporting the dogs because of legal issues.How have the other dogs that I`ve read about been transported out of Ontario?Haven`t illegal pit bulls been sent many times to the East Coast?How did that take place?I just read about 2 the other day that have found homes in Newfoundland.Just when I think I may understand this crazy law a bit,I just get more confused.Can these illegal dogs legally leave Ontario or is it sort of an underground illegal network that`s helping some of them get out?
Well, apparently, protesting is enough to get you suspended. Jackie Clements, who spoke rationally and honestly to the press at that small Sunday protest has been suspended indefinitely. I was told tonight when I went in that as of tomorrow, the entire Volunteer Dog Walking program is 'suspended indefinitely" (by direction of THS management) untl "there are more dogs". Draw your own conclusions.
selkie, I'm pretty sure the volunteer suspension was not because of the protest or if it was, it was only in part. I've never understood the idea of too many volunteers but apparently there are so few dogs left in the facility (what is it, like 13 now?) that the paid staff, as few of them as there are, are looking for stuff to do. At least that's I've heard but as you know, different people will say different things depending on what time it is and what the size of their shoes are.
Either way, there's more news coming in the next couple of days which I think will overshadow the volunteer suspension.
Intrigued to watch for the news over the next few days.
The Newspeak at THS indicates to me that the OSPCA will continue to have an iron grip now that much of the old guard is gone, and particularly if the present board is replaced.
well, we'll never know.. and of course you have intrigued me now and how come you have all the inside info?
It was getting crowded anyways. Last night while I was walking 2 of the 4 dogs we were to that point allowed to walk (bawling the whole time as I faced the empty kennels for the first time), I had: 2 security guards, 1 lawyer, 2 THS staff and a partridge in a pear tree out there checking me out ...
Houndward Bound,
Protesting is easy. Been to countless BSL protests, native rights protests & my own THS protest or 2. It's no harder then waiting for a bus. I know protesting can get attention and even occasionally results, when I first heard of the protests I was happy someone was actually going to do something instead of sit on the computer and yap. While I didn't support the protest I didn't discourage anyone from going. It is the amount of dedication to the cause after the protest that counts. Being angry is easy, it's what we all do with that anger that can make a difference. I am friends with plenty of THS staffers & none of them mentioned anything about threats of firing or suspension for attending. Now that the entire dog walking program is suspended that should free up some time for people to get working on plans for these animals.
You are asking questions which actually just deflect from the issues. The issues are animal care & how to save as many animals as we can in case the THS does close it's doors & to make sure mass euthanasia doesn't happen at the THS again. How did we end up here in the first place? You asked: Why did the OSPCA hold a meeting on Wednesday in an attempt to stop the protest from happening? The protest was happening either way & that meeting was planned long before any protest was even announced. I know this because I had a conversation with the OSPCA & inquired about a public meeting so people could ask questions in the hopes it would tame some of the rumours.
It is not about the OSPCA vs the THS. Once people wrap their heads around this we can move forward. It is about the animals. The "OSPCA Vets" are doing their job just as the THS vets are doing theirs. The THS ACW's are angels who have been through hell but keep on comming back for more to help these animals. There are 3 THS vets not 2 & the OSPCA had contracted a few vets that used to work at the THS. Niether organization is perfect. The THS took the blame for the euthanasia's. I don't need a billboard to make that decision any more clear. It's easy for you to blame the OSPCA for putting these animals down when you do not have even the slightest incline of an idea of who was even in the building when these euthanasia's took place. I don't like what happened one bit, I was supposed to take the dogs to a rescue this week. I was disgusted when the news broke about the dogs because there were other plans in place to help them. But with everything else lined up against them our only option was failure.
This fight is for the animals. I am so tired of all this. It is literally consuming my life. My phone rings non stop, emails, questions, court dates. Talking to rescues, finding foster homes, looking for barns for feral cats, referring adopters, staying up to date w/ both the THS & OSPCA going down to the THS to volunteer. Reading blogs, following facebook & talking to people. I signed on to help the THS long term & people who spout opinion like it's fact are part of the reason were all in this mess still.
Those animals were in that shelter for in some cases years before the OSPCA even walked in the doors. Tim Trow made it almost impossible to rehabilitate them, he refused to work with rescues & he refused to let one of the only qualified people in that building do training with them to help discourage the deterioration of their behavioral status. The OSPCA did not house those dogs in the shelter for years & refuse to allow the qualified staff train them. The THS board didn't pipe up when any of these animals hit the 1 year mark at the shelter, not a word again when they hit the 2. They were the ones who took away the canine service's department & things were downhill from there. Pointing fingers at the OSPCA or even Trow does not change the fact that these dogs had no system in place for years to help rehabilitate and rehome them. The current board could step up to the plate & take some blame tho. Letting Garth be the mouthpiece is cowardly.
These dogs were destined to fail with this board in place. So many people are heart broken over what has happened here but that doesn't change the fact that these animals should not of been in the shelter to even be put down. A saving grace should of came into play long before any of this could of happened.
Blame whomever you want if that makes you feel better, I'll be continuing to work getting these animals out of the shelter. Pointing fingers & talking trash doesn't save any animals lives. Look at how much good it did Smokey.
Homeward Bound, the positions of Garth Jerome and the board of the THS have now been made public. If you wish to continue in protesting the OSPCA and fairly distributing the blame, feel free.
Houndward Bound- My blog?!?! Fact check that one please. Another example of passing on opinion as facts. I speak loud & clear on my own, I don't need anyone putting words in my mouth. While I'd love to sit & chat I have to make some phone calls about the remaining dogs. I'm trying & find somewhere for them to go.
never mind..I'll make some calls and get back to her in a bit...lol
Houndward Bound I assumed the comment was to me since you were replying to my first comment. Which made sense.
I also wanted to add that this has nothing to do with acknowledging the OSPCA's involvement. I know as well if not better then most what the OSPCA is involved in. The rescue those 8 dogs were supposed to go to was brought in by me. I'm also well aware of the fact that the OSPCA stopped it & why. Those assesments were also done by people I asked to come to the THS, I've read them all & am I am well aware of what the OSPCA has and has not allowed to happen in that regard. I placed blame where it belongs after checking facts & seeing things first hand.
Fred did more then his fair share of work trying to get these dogs out of the shelter, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary considered some of the THS's pitties because of the hard work he put into all of this. If you had read the article in the Globe today you'd of read:
"Marcie Laking, a volunteer familiar with the dogs, most of whom were pit bulls who had lived in the shelter for years, said she blamed their deaths on bickering among THS staff, volunteers and the OSPCA." I've placed partial blame on the OSPCA aswell as you can see here.
Of course I place most of the blame on Tim & his board/upper management staff. Facts back up my thoughts not opinion. The OSPCA shouldn't of had to go in there in the first place. If the board had done it's job then none of us would even be having this conversation.
On that note really who gives a shit what you or I think about who's fault this is? At the end of our conversation there are still animals inside the THS that homes before the "new euthanasia policy" gets ahold of them too.
Homeward Bound, for the past several weeks Marcie Laking, and to a limited extent myself, have been involved with communications with both the THS and OSPCA with regards to arranging to have the Pit Bulls transferred out of province. Some of those attempts were blocked by the OSPCA for legal reasons dealing mostly with transport and temporary housing within Ontario issues. If not for the strict adherence to Ontario's punitive anti-Pit Bull by the OSCPA, then eight Pit Bulls would be living in the East Coast right now, probably in homes of their own. It's too bad the OSPCA felt the need to follow the law to the letter but I can also see it from their perspective. They are being watched as well and not by people who are as animal friendly as you or me.
More recently, through a contact at Best Friends Animal Society, I managed to locate a shelter in Ohio which after being contacted by the THS, agreed to take in five Pit Bulls. The OSPCA blocked transport of the Pit Bulls again because of security issues around their transport. However, two weeks ago, in a sit down discussion with the OSPCA in which I was present, it was agreed in principle to let Marcie drive the dogs to Ohio, accompanied by an OSCPA officer and possibly even in an OSPCA vehicle.
Marcie was aiming to drive them down yesterday, Monday. Last week, on Friday, the THS decided to euthanize the Pit Bulls ahead of schedule. The original schedule was to carry out the euthanizations later this week but in conversations between certain individuals, they decided to just get it done. And so it was. Don't ask me why the THS was in such a rush to euthanize the dogs. I only know the rumours which I'm not going to pass on. The OSPCA, or so they themselves claim, were not informed of this decision until the last minute. That's not to take the OSPCA off the hook for not intervening but to give perspective on their role in these events.
So, you see, I do know about the OSPCA's involvement at the THS, not from second or third hand information but directly and given what I know, which is no doubt incomplete but at least somewhat accurate, I view them as an occupying force at the THS, possibly an inconvenient, maybe even a very inconvenient occupying force but I do not view them as being the crux of the problem. That's one reason I don't spend what little time I have slagging the OSCPA on this blog. Plus, my first inclination is always to try to work collaboratively with someone to reach a mutual goals rather than yell at them for perceived wrongs which may or may not be true, which I have no way of confirming.
Marcie, feel free to fill in any details I may have missed. I'm done here.
Houndwood Bound (sorry I kept getting your name wrong),
I and others want to help the animals within the THS find a forever home, rescue, or foster. Whatever it takes to spare them of the needle. How can we actively help? Aside from the obvious letter writing and phone calls how can members of the general public can assist?
I'd suggest getting a THS membership and voting in a more effective board so we can all move on but since they don't seem to be taking new members, that's not an option.
People have been making alternate plans but the goalposts keep getting moved. Hopefully, there'll be something a bit more concrete soon.
There's also a court date on April 6(?), I believe. More news will be coming out of that and then who knows, everything might change again.
Let's have cooler heads prevail here.
Finger pointing does not serve the animals.
Dissension does not serve the animals.
Keep your eyes on the prize; removing the current board and management at Toronto Humane Society and rebuilding the Toronto Humane Society.
That's going to take cool heads and concrete plans.
Look forward, not back.
That's how we can best serve the animals.
Social Mange said it best.
Post a Comment