And so the "cleanup" begins.The Toronto Humane Society (THS) announced today that the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) will leave the River Street shelter on April 12, 2010, and the THS will "resume control of all operations."
This was approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
As previously reported, the shelter will then close for six weeks "to re-train staff and implement new policies and animal-care guidelines."
The fate of the remaining 200+ animals now hangs in the balance.
According to the THS statement, some "will be adopted out or boarded at other locations," but those that are "too physically or mentally ill" to be adopted will be euthanized.
New animal admissions will begin on June 1, 2010.
Executive director Garth Jerome believes the "short term closing will reap long term benefits," and that the shelter "will come back stronger, wiser and better able to serve ... Toronto's sick and abandoned animals."
A general meeting of THS members will be held on May 30, 2010, to nominate and elect 15 new directors to the Board.
[Photo: Genevieve, a 12-year-old female, #A136460, may still be alive. If so, she urgently needs a home. Please visit the shelter, or call the THS Permanent Placement Program at 416-392-2273, ext. 2354.]
Also see:
Just kill them all? Toronto Humane Society seeks to empty its cages and start again
Comments
Who decides whether an animal is too "physically or mentally ill" to live??? A volunteer?
I think the media needs to respect the fact that this organization is trying to do right by so many people and animals; they (THS) is moving forward and are making steps to improve the very important task at hand ANIMAL CARE but with each new step they try to take the media blows it out of wack and tries to pit people against their choices...damned if they do and damned if they don't!
The OSPCA steps in to help assist with a chaotic situation that was being played out and they get chastized, first volunteers and staff are relieved that they have the help then the media steps in and starts a circus with he said she said...VERY disppointing that selling papers etc over shadows ethics.
Pay attention, CS. Mr Jerome said "The THS is a shelter, we are not an animal sanctuary who can house animals, who will never be available for adoption, indefinitely."
Therein lies the problem. You are not talking about "animal care" you are talking about "animal control." By the reasoning of you and the THS, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. Do you not see that the lives of every hapless animal in this facility is as precious as the cat that is (presumably)curled up on your lap right now? What made them surplus? And who decides which ones 'are "too physically or mentally ill" to be adopted will be euthanized?'
Since WHEN has semantics meant life and death for society's most vulnerable? "Shelters" destroy the surplus now, but it is "sanctuaries" that intend to find forever homes?
Let's have some PUBLIC input. Has anyone seen the criminal code on animal abuse in this country? Look it up, CS. It's three pages and it is 112 years old.
All shelters should be no-kill to be truly "Humane"--it is all too convenient to take the easy way out and kill the animals when things get "problematic"--instead of having think tanks and cooperating with rescues and the public in foster cares--the shelter just euthenizes !! For SHAME on them !!!
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