Image from Change.org Petition
1. Protect Wildlife Habitat: Stop the Destruction of Lemay Forest by Tochal Developments
One of our supporters reached out to us asking us to share this important and time sensitive petition. Few “forests”/natural habitats are left in the area of St. Norbert. Please help protect this one that is under threat from development.
For seven years, Tochal Developments has held control over a +22 acre greenfield and forested area adjacent to the southwest shores of the Red River. This land, located east of 35 De La Digue Avenue, west of 100 Villa Maria Place, and north of the homes at 819 – 915 Lemay Avenue is a vital part of our community in St. Norbert. The proposed development threatens to destroy Lemay Forest, an irreplaceable natural habitat that contributes significantly to our local biodiversity.
2. Make Sure Animals are Included in British Columbia’s Emergency Management
We are pleased to share the information below from the BC SPCA about tabled legislation that would include animals in risk assessments, emergency management and evacuation plans. The BC Government is giving British Columbians the opportunity to provide input for new regulations to implement in the proposed Emergency Management and Disaster Act by the end of the year. If you live in BC, the BC SPCA has set up a pre-written letter that you can modify along with a request that you try to incorporate a personal story. It only takes a moment.
Four years ago, over 23,000 British Columbians joined the BC SPCA as we called on the provincial government to include companion animals, animals in captivity and all farmed animals in new emergency management legislation. And they listened!
The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness recently tabled Bill 31 – 2023, the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, to modernize British Columbia’s approach to mitigating hazards and preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies. As we requested, the proposed legislation mandates that local governments include animals in risk assessments, emergency management and evacuation plans.
The B.C. government is once again giving British Columbians the opportunity to provide input by the end of the year for new regulations to implement the proposed Emergency Management and Disaster Act.
Please add your voice to show your support for including all animals in emergency management, ensuring that animal welfare organizations can help in times of crisis, and to share your personal experience to help improve all phases of emergency management.
We’ll consolidate the input we receive by December 15, 2023 and send it to the province. Sharing your own story will have a greater impact!
3. Take Action: Save the Sidney Island Deer
We are passing on this important action alert information from The Animal Alliance of Canada. We modified the original note slightly and added the petition previously posted about on this issue. For additional actions, information, and other resources please also visit our friends at Towards Freedom by clicking here.
You may have already heard that Parks Canada is planning a massive cull of all the deer on Sidney Island, BC. Sidney Island is located just off Vancouver Island.
The plan involves sharp shooters killing deer from helicopters and hunters and dogs on the ground shooting both wounded deer and healthy deer. Parks Canada’s plan is to eliminate ALL deer from the island.
You can visit the Sidney Island Deer Management Society website for more information: https://sidmsociety.com/
There are three actions you can take to help:
1) Contact George Heyman, BC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. The Minister can be emailed at ENV.Minister@gov.bc.ca. Ask him not to issue Parks Canada the kill permits they are requesting.
2) Contact the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, the federal Minister responsible for Parks Canada and their actions. The Minister can be contacted at Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca or 613-992-6779. Ask him to direct Parks Canada to use only non-lethal methods to manage the park on Sidney Island.
There is also a petition:
4. Urgent: Help Return Racoons Snatched from a Wildlife Rehabilitation Shelter
he information below is from Animal Justice. Please read and then click the button to send a letter about racoons snatched from a wildlife shelter in Ontario. When the Ministry of Natural Resources did this in the past, it was learned through a freedom of information request that the racoons had ended up in a research lab. We don’t know where the racoons snatched recently are being held, but there is fear it is a research lab.
A wildlife sanctuary has been raided by Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), and 95 rescued raccoons have been seized.
Mally’s Third Chance Raccoon Rescue and Rehabilitation Sanctuary is a facility in Southern Ontario that cares for injured and orphaned raccoons, rehabilitates them, and releases the animals back into the wild. On September 26, 2023, over 50 MNRF officers arrived unannounced with vehicles and drones, and began removing every raccoon from their enclosure and forcing them into small cages in the back of pick-up trucks.
The officers seized phones from the staff at Mally’s and forced them to leave, preventing any footage from being taken of the incident. Witnesses of this brutal event reportedly watched with shock and horror as raccoons cried and struggled. Staff and volunteers at Mally’s fear that raccoons may be killed by the MNRF.
The MNRF says the charity violated the provincial Wildlife Conservation Act, a claim that Mally’s wholly denies.
According to a volunteer who spoke with the Canadian Press, Mally’s mostly works to rehabilitate orphaned baby raccoons, and helps them reach maturity so they can be released. Mally’s has said that almost all of the raccoons seized by the MNRF were set to be returned to the wild in the coming days or weeks.
Poor Use of Government Resources
The MNRF’s large-scale raid at Mally’s appears to be a disproportionate and unreasonable use of government resources. Ontario is already facing a shortage of wildlife rehabilitators, who receive little to no support from the government. Members of the public who find injured wild animals often have no place to take them for care.
The Ministry’s response is especially concerning considering they continue to refuse to enforce the law to stop cruel, inhumane, and illegal practices such as coyote hunting contests, despite countless calls from the public.
The Ministry is also expanding penned dog hunting in Ontario, where hunters let dogs chase and often rip apart live animals like foxes, coyotes, and rabbits in an enclosed area. The practice is widely condemned because of its inherent cruelty, and is banned in all other Canadian provinces. Cracking down on raccoon rehabilitators while giving the green light to violent penned dog hunts shows that the Ministry is failing to protect the health and well-being of wildlife.
If the MNRF has reason to be concerned about the care of wildlife, it should take steps to ensure animals are protected, including working with and supporting rehabilitators to bring them into compliance. But the scale and extent of the Ministry’s response to Mally’s is shocking when compared to its inaction against those who permit cruel practices by hosting contests and exhibitions.
Tell the MNRF to use its resources to enforce the law against those who illegally hunt, kill, and injure wild animals, rather than targeting wildlife rehabilitation facilities, like Mally’s!
5. Some Bad News & Action: Canadian Ag Gag Bill
We are sorry to report bad news regarding proposed Canadian legislation designed to cover up animal cruelty on farms and threaten jail time for animal advocates who expose animal suffering and abuse. Please take a moment to read the information below from Animal Justice and take the actions they suggest below. Thank you!
| On Monday, Oct. 16th, the House of Commons Agriculture Committee approved federal ag gag Bill C-275. 🙁 This was a shock to Animal Justice as we’d been assured by Liberal MPs that there would surely be amendments to this flawed and dangerous bill. Some Liberal and NDP MPs on the committee tried really hard to improve the bill to address these concerns, but they were blocked by the rest of the committee. As you probably know, Bill C-275 is designed to cover up animal cruelty on farms and threatens to jail animal advocates who expose animal suffering and abuse. During the committee hearings, Animal Justice and other advocacy organizations were clear that not only does the bill undermine transparency and animal protection, it’s very likely unconstitutional. Now we have to fight to get MPs to vote against the bill when it comes up for a final vote in the House of Commons in the next few weeks. |
Also, could you please SEND, via email or social media messaging, this Animal Justice petition/auto-email form to 10 people right now?
If you’re on Facebook and want to do one more step, please share Animal Justice’s Facebook post with the petition.
6. Take Action with Petition & More: Stop Vancouver Restaurants from Serving Foie Gras Dish (Diseased Duck Liver)
The information below is from a change.org petition about the horrific practice of serving a dish called foie gras that is a result of a torturous process conducted on ducks. The petition page includes not only information and the option of signing but also other actions you can take to make a difference. There is also a list of high end Vancouver restaurants that serve the dish. Please check it out and take a few moments to do something.
We are asking Vancouverites to help us stop a dish served in our high-end restaurants across Vancouver, our kind City. As animal lovers we can not support restaurants that serve this dish when it’s production has been banned in many European countries due to animal cruelty concerns.
Foie gras is French for “fatty liver”. These waterfowl are force-fed several times a day. This intrusive and painful experience begins at 12 weeks of age and lasts three weeks until the animals are slaughtered. These birds are usually confined in tiny cages throughout their life to make it easier for the farmers and will never see water their whole life. The force feeding causes the birds’ liver to become diseased and fatty and swell up to 10 times their normal size.Some birds die from grain being forced into their lungs or when they choke on their own vomit. Other health problems include fungal infections, diarrhea, impaired liver function, heat stress, lesions, and fractures of the sternum.
BCSPCA says: “One argument commonly put forward in defense of foie gras is that force feeding is an acceptable practice since ducks and geese will naturally gorge themselves in preparation for migration. This argument does not hold for the mulard, the strain of duck most commonly used in the production of foie gras. “ ( See BCSPCA’s Report- Scientific case against Foie Gras, 2009)
7. Petition Asking the Canadian Government to Ban Glue Traps
Petition to the House of Commons
Whereas:
- This year the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC have seen over 30 intakes related to glue traps. Mostly, has been birds and bats.. Small mammals, including pets, can also get stuck on glue traps, leading to their suffering and potential death;
- It is deeply troubling that these devices are openly displayed, potentially exposing children to their existence and the practices they represent;
- Eighteen Indian states and territories, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, two states and one territory in Australia, and many states in the USA have prohibited the usage of rodents glue board traps;
- There have been studies and research conducted on the impact of mice glue boards on mice. Here are some findings that highlight the negative effects of glue traps on mice: Glue traps cause immense physical and psychological suffering to mice. When caught on the adhesive surface, mice experience extreme distress and struggle to free themselves. They injure themselves while attempting to escape, resulting in broken bones, dislocated joints, torn skin, or even self- mutilation. Mice caught in glue traps suffer for several days before they eventually die. During this time, they endure stress, pain, and dehydration, an agonizing process; and
- Glue traps violate principles of humane treatment and animal welfare. All Animal Organizations have condemned the use of glue traps due to the cruelty involved.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to implement an immediate ban on rodent glue board traps across Canada due to their inherent animal cruelty and environmental impact.
8. Support the Replacement of Fireworks with Light Displays and Make a Difference to Animals, Birds, the Environment and Others
Fireworks are a danger to the well-being of animals, including pets, farm animals, birds, and wildlife. Further they are a danger to vulnerable populations, including those suffering from PTSD, especially some veterans. They are a danger to the environment because they release dangerous toxic chemicals. And they are not cost effective.
Spectacular laser light displays and drone shows are a kinder, more exciting, and cost effective means of celebrating special events. Special thanks to Towards Freedom for their work on this issue.
For more information, action ideas and whom to contact, please click on the image below:
9. Stop Testing Sewer Water on Fish and Other Animals
Our thanks to Nicole Corrado for starting this petition.
Please stop the “acute lethality tests” on rainbow trout, three lined stickleback, and other fish species. These tests involve pumping effluents into fish tanks about once a month, and if more than half the fish die, the experiments are repeated. Click the button below for more information and to sign.
10. Take Action Against Monkeys Chained & Whipped for Coconut Milk
From PETA:
Whole Foods is supporting the abuse of monkeys who are chained, whipped, and forced to pick coconuts as long as it sells Thai coconut milk.
PETA Asia’s latest investigation into Thailand’s coconut industry has revealed that despite false claims by the Thai government and makers of coconut products, wild baby monkeys are still being kidnapped—many illegally—before being chained, whipped, and forced to spend long hours picking heavy coconuts. They can incur broken bones from harsh handling and get stung by hornets, which can be fatal. When they aren’t working, they’re kept in small cages or tethered on barren patches of dirt, often without food, water, or protection from the elements.
Whole Food’s 365 brand sources the coconuts in its coconut milk from Thailand, and one of its coconut milk suppliers was implicated in PETA Asia’s latest investigation into the trade. PETA has contacted Whole Foods, but the company has refused to stop selling Thai coconut milk via its 365 brand and third-party brands even though it already offers canned coconut milk from countries where monkey labor isn’t used.
Take a look at the latest investigation, then send an urgent message to Whole Foods urging it to stop selling Thai coconut milk—that’s the only way to end this cruelty.
11. Sign the Petition Against Dogs & Cats Being Sold Through LIVESTOCK Auctions in Canada
Whereas:
- Recently, the media has reported about the horrible condition in which dogs were sold via an online auction house in Manitoba. This case has raised concerns for Canadians;
- The federal government’s website states “The Criminal Code of Canada prohibits anyone from willfully causing animals to suffer from neglect, pain or injury”;
- Provinces and territories also have responsibility for a number of issues related to animal welfare;
- The CFIA has scope over regulating the humane transportation of animals, and they also work with provinces, territories and stakeholders on related issues;
- Canadian farmers and animal owners across the country make important efforts every day to keep their animals and livestock safe; and
- Canadians believe instances of potential animal abuse and neglect must be addressed.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to always ensure they uphold their federal mandate with respect to animal welfare issues, and work with provinces, territories and stakeholders when needed on these issues.
12. Protect the Orcas’ Ocean Homes: Let’s Make Tertiary Sewage Treatment the Law
Please take a moment to sign the petition from Lifeforce to protect orcas who are facing extinction and living in increasingly polluted waters.
While we are trying to find ways to protect people and animals from the Covid-19 pandemic we can and must also control all environmental pollution! One of the ways to achieve a healthier world is government funding of the most effective Tertiary Sewage Treatment! We must protect the health of wildlife and people!
Orcas are facing extinction! Pollution is one of the three major threats to the Southern Resident Killer Whales! They have lived and died for decades in increasingly polluted waters!
In order to protect people, animals and ecosystems money must be spent now for the best available technology. Many governments are planning to upgrade aging sewer treatment systems to only Secondary Treatment. If they do, households and industries will continue polluting land and water habitats. Implementing the present most effective Tertiary Treatment can’t wait for another 10 to 30 years with the increasing human population wastes, future increased costs and more pollution related health care costs!
Thank you for all you do!