by SUSAN MANN
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals should be placed under government oversight because it isn’t using its power and authority appropriately, says Tory MPP Frank Klees.
In a private-member’s resolution scheduled for a one-hour debate followed by a vote Nov. 18, the Newmarket - Aurora MPP says the organization should be under the authority of the community safety and correctional services minister “to ensure that there is a clearly defined and effective provincial oversight of all animal shelter services in the province.” He also asks the government in the resolution to separate the inspection and enforcement powers of the society from its function as a charity providing animal shelter services.
Klees says prosecutors dropping animal cruelty charges against former board members from the Toronto Humane Society because of mistakes made by OSPCA investigators is a recent example that shows the society not using its power and authority appropriately.
Another example is the provincial government saying earlier this year it couldn’t stop the society from euthanizing animals at the Newmarket Shelter to eradicate ringworm. When Klees found out the shelter planned to euthanize all 350 animals it housed, he contacted six veterinarians who all agreed the plan was inappropriate.
Klees says he asked Rick Bartolucci, former community safety minister, in the Ontario legislature to put a stay on the decision until alternative options were explored. “His response to me at the time was that he had no authority to intervene.”
Klees says 92 animals were killed. But under public pressure the OSPCA board agreed to stop the euthanasia plan. Area veterinarians stepped in and donated their services to nurse the animals back to health.
“This was a clear example of inappropriate action and lack of oversight on the part of the government over the OSPCA,” he says.
Revisions to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in 2008 hiked fines for animal welfare violations and permitted OSPCA inspectors to inspect places where animals are kept for entertainment, exhibition, boarding, sale or hire.
In a Nov. 1 email, Connie Mallory, OSPCA’s acting chief inspector states that the revisions did not substantially change the society’s officers’ authority.
The revisions made it possible for the society to do its mandated work without the necessity of using criminal legislation and charges, she writes.
When asked to comment on Klees’ statements, Mallory did not respond.
Richmond Hill resident Sunny Reuter, who has helped people in rural areas tackle charges laid by the society, is urging people to attend the legislature Nov. 18 to support Klees’ resolution.
She says the ringworm situation in Newmarket galvanized people in Ontario and prompted the formation of several Facebook groups, including one with nearly 40,000 members to protest the decision to euthanize the animals.
For almost seven years, Reuter says she has been advocating for rural people but “that never got any traction. All of a sudden we have 40,000 people who are saying there needs to be oversight of the OSPCA.”
Legislative Assembly of Ontario records show that to date, MPPs have delivered 58 petitions to the provincial legislature.
Klees claims thousands of petitions have been sent to MPPs from all parties. “They’ve received them with specific letters by their own constituents asking them to read these petitions into the legislature.”
There is lots of support from New Democrats and Liberals for the resolution in addition to support from Tory MPPs, he adds.
Crystal Mackay, executive director of the Ontario Farm Animal Council, says a movement towards government funding and oversight of the OSPCA’s enforcement side is definitely a step in the right direction.
But regardless of what happens to the resolution, Mackay says the council will still work closely with OSPCA staff on farm animal care issues.
Bette Jean Crews, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, says the federation is “totally supportive of government oversight of OSPCA.”
Farmers have been concerned about the sweeping new powers granted to the society, including the right to enter property without a warrant. “That has been an issue in the farm community for some time if OSPCA people are not trained in biosecurity measures,” she says.
Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman says if passed, the resolution will be sent to the provincial cabinet. But cabinet is not obliged to do what the resolution directs. Yet if the legislature “speaks that means a lot of the government members are speaking too because they out number the opposition members,” he says.
More information about Klees’ resolution is at: www.ospcatruth.com . This is a web site advocating for government oversight over the OSPCA and is not the OSPCA web site. BF
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The OSPCA is the only avenue for animal welfare in this province. My confidence in their capabilities as an organization deserving of respect, and supporter donations, has disappeared.
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I completely agree that changes need to happen within the OSPCA, however I do not believe that the solution is to put the OSPCA under the government's watchful eye. To be frank, I do not believe that the government is knowledgeable enough to manage this, especially given that the Ontario government supports a breed ban rather than supporting responsible dog ownership. Also, while I am a firm believer that changes need to happen within the OSPCA (I just can't say this enough) I also believe that the Prosecutor did not want to prosecute the THS BOD members and found an excuse. It would have been a political nightmare that they chose not to navigate. Sad... just sad for the animals that we are all supposed to be protecting. Screw the politics... let's focus on what's really important.
I agree that in the moment of timely need, Government seldom thinks, but rather reacts and often with measures of voting perception as their guide measure rather than an educated or science based thought.
The other problematic situation is there is little or no repercussion for any errors or wrong doing committed by SPCA in other words no accountability. Mr Kees brought pressure to bear on SPCA in Newmarket by consulting 6 veterinarians accredited and educated to have a valid opinion beyond any refute of courts or SCPA.
Why is this not a reasonable and professional measure of right and wrong to guide the emotional unfounded impulses of SPCA? Why are their actions of search and seizure not also monitored or better still accompanied by existing agencies recognized as skilled and trained in assessment and treatment? There seems to be no impartial or professional appeal to SPCA's godlike decrees.
Even the new proposed changes do not seem to have addressed any appeal or science based authority when placing SPCA under the Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister.
"When emotion prevails reason fails" A statement of truth SPCA and government need to correct to have any semblance of professonializm or accountability for a very tarnished past.
In 1989 Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Brigid Pyke formally lobbied the province for the removal of enforcment powers from the OSPCA.
Spring of 2006 twenty nine OSPCA directors resigned. Among them Treasurer Garnet Lasby who commented:
"The OSPCA should be involved in welfare of animals and education, not in criminal investigations and prosecutions." "That should be a government role, but they won't change the OSPCA Act unless there's public pressure."
Please exhibit "public pressure" with your presence at Queen's Park on November 18th. visit www.ospcatruth.com for details.
A resolution calling for governmental oversight of the OSPCA (a self-funded charity with extraordinary enforcement powers operating entirely without oversight) IS LONG OVERDUE.
P.S. May 11, 2010 the OSPCA killed 102 animals. A June 22, 2010 OSPCA press release confirms the remaining animals did not test positive for ringworm. The OSPCA's Newmarket shelter remains closed to the public to this day.
A few years ago, the OSCPA put hog producer, Jim Long, and his London-based Wood Lynn Farms, through a horrow show, and because the OSCPA has ready access to the press, made it appear at the time of their raid, that Long was guilty of any number of outright atrocities against his animals.
Even though Jim made an appearance in court every time he was summoned to do so, his case never went to trial, and I understand the charges against him were eventually stayed. This means that while the charges against him weren't dropped, there was so little chance of getting a conviction, the Crown decided not to proceed. If I understand correctly, the OSCPA has never apologized to Long, and has never tried to retract the stories they were responsible for releasing to the press, at the time Long was charged.
As a direct result of the OSCPA's raid, and the ensuing adverse publicity generated, in large part, by the OSCPA itself, Wood Lynn went bankrupt, and while Jim has bounced back personally and now also owns a successful swine genetics business, he's no longer an active farmer.
I've known Jim, and his family, for many, many years - what he needlessly went through at the hands of the OSCPA, would have broken any lesser man. Nobody should ever have to endure this sort of torture again. Changes in the system are overdue.
Stephen Thompson, Clinton, ON
Having seen a personal friend go through the nightmare. I think it's time for a change.
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A candidate in our recent local municipal elections was also the head of our local OSPCA. Although I did attend a local meet the candidate meeting, I arrived at the hall late (due to chores) and missed the main reason i went there; that namely to listen to this women's platform and ascertain her reasons for running for a seat on council. When the ballots were counted, she garnered fewer votes than any other candidate in our municipality. The general feeling among residents and farmers of our township was that the OSPCA has far too much power. There is definetly a sense of mistrust towards any one connected to OSPCA on our back roads and that electing this OSPCA member to council would only serve the needs and agenda of the local OSPCA chapter and not the needs of the township residents. What surprised the people of the community the most was that this particular candidate seemed unaware of that sense of mistrust towards her organization and that she committed to run for a spot on council in the first place.
Although there may be no perfect solution, anything is better than what exists now. An organization which is in charge of such precious and often neglected animals needs to have some kind of oversight and accountability especially in light of what they have done when they do have ALL the power. We certainly need to neuter our animals and keep the population down in order to stop the overcrowding in these animal shelters. It is all about these poor abandoned animals and we need to work together to give them a chance. Please be at Queen's Park on November 18th at 1:00pm when this very important issue will be voted on.
BF comes up with all these breaking news topics and we some of the people respond.. All farmers should look back at farm news problem topics say 1 to 10 years and see if any had realeconomic solutions, that had real lasting benefit positive results for farmers now and the future. Who is accountable
The BF and other agriculture news topics are symtoms of a bigger disease that lives decade after decade in Canada with little or no meaningful solutions while other sectors of Canada business have been provided with a degree of workable solutions, Ask yourself why?
We continue to spend tonnes of money for solutions through OFA/CFA, GFO, and get what? Sure if we didnt have them we would have nobody to defend farmers needs, but are we getting real ECONOMIC VALUE?
AVERAGE AGE OF FARMERS 63 increasing should be awake up call to farmers,farm organizations and farm press that economic and social problem solving process is failing rural Canada with depopulation and municipal tax base increases or debt spending.
Over 40 years ago, Walt Kelly, the originator of the comic strip "POGO", had one of his characters say - "We have met the enemy, and he is us", and that saying, applies in spades, to the farm community.
Don't blame the press, don't blame government, don't blame farm groups, blame farmers themselves for always wanting things both ways, and for always being unable to see that what may appear to be good for one group of farmers, may not be good for other groups of farmers, or for the rest of the country.
Stephen Thompson, Clinton ON
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