They Call Me MacGyver

My so called friends are laughing at me and have taken to calling me MacGyver whenever I venture out to the camp. I have no idea why.

Ok so I do not think that a bear is going to come out and eat me (today since it’s raining and I’m locked in my house) I just think I should be prepared in case the bears aren’t up to speed on what the experts say a bear should do when suddenly encountering a  human in their backyard.

Things to consider re: Bears and Bear Spray

-  Get the large “don’t eat me” size, not the small “spice me up and make me tasty for the bear” size.

-  Get the cheap water bottle holder from the dollar store that gives you easy access, not the expensive holster that you have to fight with to get it out. (You want access to it before the bear has ripped your head off)

-  Spray it at the Bears face, not your face, (I know but it had to be said)

-  Do not practise flipping off the nozzle spray guard and aiming in the house ( I know but it made Ian really nervous)

-  Do not run from the bear but back away slowly and calmly (yeah right). If the bear follows you do not spray the pepper spray until the bear is within close range, say less then 5 ft or so. Shitting your pants is a perfectly acceptable activity to keep you occupied while you wait. (note to self: add change of underwear to inventory)

-  If you see your dogs running at you full speed ahead, don’t stop to ask questions just run past the person next to you and pray that they are slower then you are.

-  Lastly, unlike Jenny Lawson (bloggess & terrible mother) do not grab your camera and small child while running towards the bear ( I know but it had to be said)

Now if none of the above has helped you and you've already had your head ripped off during a bear encounter then you are unlikely to find this funny

I've turned into twisted version of my mother

Bedtime around here is a ritual affair and is normally fairly simple and routine. Everyone goes for a last bathroom break, runs to their beds and gets a cookie but sometimes when one little thing goes a little off kilter it generally all goes horribly wrong and something like this........

OK everyone wake up its time for bed, hurry, hurry, go pee now. Good babies now everyone off to bed..... Archer here. Quiver come. Good Quinn......Ripley here, Ripley wrong bed, Archer for gods sakes get over here.....Kira get out of there and let Ripley in her bed. Quinn where did you go? Cricket, Cricket, Cricket.......Where's Quiver? What are you doing still outside, get to bed Quiver!.......NO ONE'S GOING TO GET A COOKIE IF YOU DON'T GET TO BED! Good Kira. Cricket in, in Cricket, all the way, hey your not Cricket! Quinn get to your own damn bed! ......

Kira/Ripley/George/Quinn/Paul/Ringo/Archer/Cricket/Quiver/Whoever the hell you are! GET TO BED!

Then it hits me. My sister, brothers and I all grew up thinking our name was "Vicki/Peter/Jane/Greg/whoever-the-hell-you-are!" It's now official.... I've turned into twisted version of my mother only with dogs not kids.
 

I still think I got the better deal, 6 dogs beats 4 kids any day.

So I ask you.... Saint or Passive Aggressive?

Ian is a saint, or so everyone keeps telling me, our friends, his friends, my mom (traitor), everyone. I even agree with them sometimes cause really he does put up with me. I know, it's hard to believe I'm not perfect. It's true, not everyone could put up with me, I am a tad overbearing, just slightly judgmental and a little bit of a know it all opinionated. I admit a few hours spent arguing with and getting my fathers goat over the kitchen table is a favorite past time of mine but what can I say I love me and so does he. But is he a Saint? Yes Ian gets up with the dogs on the weekend to let me sleep in if I wish ....or is it so he has an extra hour or two to himself?. Yes, he rarely argues with me and lets me have my way on most things just to keep me happy ....or is it just to keep me quiet and out of the little of what's left of his hair? Yes, Ian does the majority of cooking around here but come on, I know that's just because he wants to eat! Ok yes he's pretty good, I can't deny it but a Saint? You tell me.

Scene- 3 PM Call to Ian's cell phone.

Me: Brrrrrrrrrrr

Ian before me: Note- Hair lots, Hair black, Smile on face.

Ian: I'm on my way home I'm planning on cleaning the chimney when I get there.

Scene- Ian gets in the door.

Me: Brrrrrrrrrrr
Ian: I'm on it, I'm on it.

Scene- Ian on the roof.

Me: I got 9.1 dialed on the phone
Ian: Could you hold the bottom of the ladder?
Me: Ok but are sure you just don't want me to keep my finger over the last 1, cause you don't really expect me to catch you if you fall do you?
Ian: Hold the ladder women!

Scene- Ian off the roof and getting ready to shower.

Me: Brrrrrrrrrr
Ian: Silence

Scene- Ian eating his supper.

Ian after me: Note- Very little hair, Completely grey,
No room left on the couch

Me: Brrrrrrrrrr didn't you start a fire?
Ian: No, you didn't really want me to start a fire did you? It's supposed to warm up and we'll just bake all night and not get any sleep.
Me: Brrrrrrrrr

Scene- Later that night ,Ian returns from the basement.

Me: Hey, what were you doing down there?
Ian: I just started a fire.
Me: Bites tongue, contorts face
Ian: What! You wanted a fire!!!!
Me: Yes but that was hours ago, now the house will just heat up in time for bed and we're gonna bake all night.
Me: Ian are you alright? Your face looks a little red.

So I ask you.... Saint or Passive Aggressive?

Don't buy 'fresh' semen online, warns Health Canada

So I recently read an article titled Don't buy 'fresh' semen online, warns Health Canada and I just have to stop and think REALLY!? again REALLY!?

Being a dog breeder, artificial insemination is just not that big a deal to me. You research the dog, the breeder, have health testing done such as sperm count, and STD's (yes dogs do have their own version of sexually transmitted diseases.) The breeder does the um... lets say "deed" so as not to freak you out any more then you already must be, and if the bitch is present inserts the sperm via a syringe and pipette or has it frozen via cryopreservation and shipped for the vet to surgically insert so no big deal. But REALLY!? This article is talking about Human Semen!

What woman in her right mind buys human Semen on-line??? Good Lord they don't even get a free cocktail let alone dinner and a movie! To be fair I admit I haven't been on the dating market for a long time however can it be so bad that some lonely woman so desperate for a child would even consider the purchase of semen from an on-line website? Do they get to see pictures of the donor, ask questions? Granted, we all my have a crazy aunt or two in our pedigree so not throwing stones or anything but children are scary enough as it is, doesn't the mother at least want to know who to blame when little Linda's head starts spinning while she is levitating off the bed?

To much booze for this Loose Moose?

There has been a time or two when I have let loose and had a few drinks too many only to wake up the next day and hope everyone else at the party were all too involved in their own drunken antics to remember mine. However this poor moose, who found itself in a slight predicament after indulging in a few too many fermented apples is going to have a hard time living this one down now that the pictures have been plastered all over the Internet. Oh the shame of it all!

Full story
http://www.thelocal.se/36002/20110907/

I haven’t lost it yet

My 73 year old mom has cancer. She learned of this because she had bubbles in her pee. Such a simple thing results in her learning she had a tumour in her kidney and a tumour in her vena cava. Mom did not cry. Everyone else did.

Off she goes to Toronto for what the doctors said would be a two hour operation that would leave her cancer free. After eight hours in surgery we learn the operation did not go as planned. Can you say understatement? The tumour in her vena cava was in fact a thrombosis; a tumour - blood clot mix that was higher then expected. We learned this thrombosis could not be sealed off and that during the operation further complications damaged her spleen resulting in it also having to be removed. Now, due to a botched surgery, the cancer would spread thanks to contaminate blood coming into contact with her other internal organs. Can you say incompetent doctors? Mom did not cry. Everyone else did.

At 72 years old she worked right up until the day she was diagnosed. Yes! still working way past retirement age, taking the bus in the early morning so that dad didn’t have to get up or could go golfing if he wanted to. Needless to say mom is a strong independent women.

Mom has not had the easiest life and sometimes I despair not always the happiest. With a large extended family she has always been our backbone, holding us together through thick and thin.  I regretfully put my parents through hell during my teenage years. When I eventually came home at 18, unwed with a 6 month old baby, without reproach, she opened her doors then got me back up on my feet. Forget vacations abroad, a big home, fine jewelry or a fancy wardrobe she was content just to have Bingo night with the Ya Ya sisters. No life has not always been easy for mom but she met every issue and every problem head on with common sense and a large dash of humour.

Mom has now been on chemo for a full year and she tells me she did finally cry once over a silly argument with my dad.

Chemo- it keeps you alive while killing you.

Mom has been relatively lucky, if you could call anything lucky while being on chemo it’s that she has had few side effects. The biggest one for her is that it makes her extremely tired. Four weeks on, two weeks off and so on and so on.

At week one she starts to slow down and limit her outings. At week two she starts to give into the dreaded nap. By week 3 she is limited to her once a week supper and bingo outing with the Ya Ya sisters (more on them later) At week 4 showers are a thing of the past and lifting the blankets to turn over becomes a chore. Two weeks to regain strength then the cycle resumes.

I haven’t lost it yet                                      

Scene: mom phones me, giggling

Ring, Ring

Me: Hi mom, what’s up?

Mom: Why didn’t you answer your phone when I called?

Me: what do you mean? I just did!

Mom: No I mean when I dialled all ten numbers before I realized I was holding the TV remote.

Me: Oh Mom, are you’re losing it?!!!

Mom: No, not yet. when you find I put the Iron in the freezer then you’ll know I’m losing it

Scene: mom phones me, perturbed

Ring, Ring,

Me: Hi mom, how are you feeling?

Mom: I’m wearing two pairs of socks and a mitt on my foot.

Me: Hysterical giggles.

Mom: Why are you laughing?

Me: I’m sorry but I just pictured you walking around with the fingers waving around with each step

Mom: I said a mitt not a glove!

Me: Sorry but the image just popped in my head and I can’t get it out.

Mom: Well stop it; there are no fingers, only a thumb

Me: (once the giggles subside) Mom please tell me, why are you wearing a mitt on your foot?

Mom: don’t worry I’m not losing it yet, I just have a couple of blisters so I have to stop my chemo.

Scene: Hospital parking lot after visiting my sister who was admitted after a serious heart attack that stopped her heart. Mom drifting to the right but the car is parked on the left.

Me: Mom where are you going?

Mom: giggles, wherever the wind takes me!

Scene: mom phones me after my sister is released from the hospital

Ring, Ring

Me: Hi Mom

Mom: I just spoke to your sister

Me: How is she feeling?

Mom: She told me she went to bed and just died so I said… AGAIN?

Insomnia = Justifiable Homicide?

Justifiable Homicide? some times late at night I think...

I'll take my chances if the judge is a woman!

There once was a tired man from Trout Creek,

whose snoring was making his girl freak.

She plotted and planned,

where his body would land.

He's toast once she's perfected her technique.

There once was a man and his dog,

who found themselves in tonight's blog.
With my trying to sleep,
both their snoring did compete.
Sure wish I could quiet that man and his dog.

There once was a woman in love,

with the man she once dreamed of.
But the sound of his snore,
she could take no more.
Oh the torture that woman did conceive of.

There once was a man who was kicked to the floor.

cause he woke the whole house with his very loud snore.
He begged and he pleaded,
and claimed he was needed.
Oh, that man better know of a good jewelry store.

Dog Finds Severed Leg in Trout Creek, Ontario

A Golden Retriever found a severed leg while out hiking in Trout Creek, Ontario. The grisly find further lead to two decapitated teens (one with a very strange smile on his face) on the lower floor of a partially built camp. Police have not released the identity of the witnesses at this time however it has been reported that several people overheard the youths repetitively asking, "are we there yet, are we there yet", "I'm bored, I'm hungry" and "Mom, Mother, Mommy, Mom, Mom, Ma Ma, Mommy".

Upon further investigation police stumbled apon a middle aged man found on the top floor whose body was so mangled pictures were deemed to  gruesome to publish. Written in nail polish on what was left of the mans body were the strange words "No more trouser cleavage".

Currently charged and in custody is one of the youths mother however sources within the police department believe once the crown attorney has time to fully review the case it will be determined a justifiable homicide and all charges dropped.

In a related story, the body of a man was found in the nearby town of North Bay. Sources in the North Bay Police Department state this will also likely be determined a justifiable homicide when investigating officers learned, the no good husband failed to wake his wife as asked, leaving her and son behind, without a vehicle while he snuck off with out them to their shared camp in Trout Creek.

Come On Lets Go Go Go!

There is nothing in life quite like canine exuberance! The mighty Quinn either wants to play chicken with the 4-wheeler or he's telling me to get my ass in gear and put the pedal to the metal. I suspect the latter as he is a bit of a mom ma's boy.

On The Road To Camp

This doll and her friend is at the end of someones driveway on the road into our camp. I just have to post this because of it's total awesomeness and perhaps it will help our first time visitors know they're in the right area.

You know you entered the backwoods when you see this ................. 

You know you belong when you think totally awesome!!!

You know you have no brains common sense fear if you actually stop there for directions.

100 acres just doesn't sound big enough does it?

4 families, 13 people and 13 dogs building a hunt camp. 100 acres just doesn't sound big enough does it? Insane? Yes, but with the property being literally 5 min down the road by 4 wheeler and surrounded on two sides by crown land it was a deal we would have been absolutely crazy to let pass.

Building trails was the first order of business which was easier then I first expected when you have a bunch of power tool hungry men around. Of course Safety first and Giggles second so Ian dressing like a giant pylon is a definite must!

Lots of mixed hardwood but also tons of rock so at times we had to dig in when we couldn't go around.

However when the going got really rough Scottie felt a little trouser cleavage might help inspire us to dig in and work a little quicker to get it all over and done with. Me, being who I am of course, just had to post this pic to my blog and facebook.


I know, right!
Exactly what friends are for.

Fetch Boo Boo Fetch

As the cascading water ends I look pitifully across the room and think, why didn't I teach one of the dogs to fetch useful things like towels? .... Fetch Boo Boo, Fetch.
I know I have repeatedly told them that trying to lick me dry kind of defeated the purpose of my taking a shower but they distrust my logic. Least they could do is lick up the puddles on the floor.

Equipment Needed For A New Puppy 

• Food - 20 or 40 lb bag of dog food depending on the size of the breed.
  
• Puppy Treats - "Milk Bone" dog biscuits, "Roll Over" sausage roll, dried Liver snacks. No cheap dye and chemical filled junk treats!
  
• Dog Crate - Large for a female, extra large for a male. We prefer plastic as it is durable, easy to clean and will contain the dog dirt and hair. Wire is acceptable and slightly cheaper but will rust with time. Blankets and soft beds are not necessary in the crate. They are usually just to make us feel better as the dogs generally find them too hot but a great thing to chew.
• 
  
• Metal Stainless Steel Food Bowl - Plastic is hard to clean, retains bacteria and germs, and is easy to chew.
  
• Stainless Steel Water Bucket. Must be food grade steel not galvanized metal. Plastic horse bucket found in farm and tack stores is acceptable but is not as sanitary and can be chewed.
  
• 6 Foot (quality) Leather Leash - It will last your lifetime with a minimum of care and is gentle on your hands when teaching a dog not to pull. Nylon leashes of the right size and quality are durable, easy to clean, long lasting and come in pretty colours but can injure your hands when teaching a young dog not to pull.
  
• 2 Nylon (adjustable) Buckle Collars - Medium for puppy, large for adult.
  
• Clicker - a small plastic box that makes a clicking noise to instantaneously mark and reinforce a desired behavior. We will demonstrate the benefits of clicker training the day you take your puppy home.
  
• Quality (welded) Slip Collar - Incorrectly called a choke collar but when used properly is one of the most safe and effective ways to correct a young dog from pulling and making other serious mistakes that could endanger their lives. It should be sized to roll over the dogs head and ears and will need to be replaced with the next size up as the adolescent dog grows to adulthood. Not to be used on a young puppy. NEVER leave a slip collar on an unattended dog!
  
• Fenced Yard and/or a Security Pen or Dog Run - a 10 x 10 x 6 foot chain metal fence that sits over patio stone or cement in a semi-shaded area. These portable runs are invaluable for ensuring the safety and security of your puppy and can greatly assists in house training while you are temporarily away from home. 4W x 10L x 6H or 4W x 8L x 6H run is also an acceptable size for a medium to large breed dog.
  
• Lots and Lots of Toys - Quality hard rubber for chewing, eyeless and buttonless stuffed toys for snuggling and carrying..
  
• Dog Blanket or Matt or Thin, Soft Dog Bed- optional place for the dog to settle on his own or when he has learned the "down stay" or "go lay down" command.

Parvovirus: Receiving conflicting advice?

Parvovirus: Receiving conflicting advice?

Basically a newborn puppy is not naturally immune to diseases. However, it does have some antibody protection which is derived from its mother's blood via the placenta. The next level of immunity is from antibodies derived from the first milk. Now where the problem comes in is that these maternal antibodies can actually block the effectiveness of a commercial vaccine and since it is different for each puppy in a litter no one can accurately predict when the maternal antibodies will reach a low enough level for the vaccine to work. This results in a period of time from several days to several weeks in which the maternal antibodies are too low to provide protection against the disease but too high to allow a vaccine to work. This period is called the window of susceptibility. This is the time when despite being vaccinated, a puppy can still contract the disease.
The length and timing of the window of susceptibility is different in every litter, and even between individuals in a litter. A study of different puppies showed that the age at which they were able to respond to a vaccine and develop protection (become immunized) covered a wide period of time. At six weeks of age, 25% of the puppies could be immunized. At 9 weeks of age, 40% of the puppies were able to respond to the vaccine. The number increased to 60% by 16 weeks of age, and by 18 weeks, 95% of the puppies were protected by the vaccine.
To add to this is what is called the Herd Effect or Herd Immunity which occurs when the vaccination of a portion of the population (or herd) provides protection to unprotected individuals. Herd immunity theory proposes that, in diseases passed from individual to individual, it is more difficult to maintain a chain of infection when large numbers of a population are immune ie puppy classes ( but only if the locals residents who are not taking class are also not using the area to walk and potty their dogs.) The higher the proportion of individuals who are immune, the lower the likelihood that a susceptible animal will come into contact with an infectious animal. However all it takes is 1 virus shedding animal to infect another so places such as vet offices are actually high risk.
In a nut shell
-puppies are given a series of booster shots (3) starting at 7 weeks to 18 weeks to cover this window of susceptibility and then again at 1 year of age to ensure adequate antibody levels.
- each puppy's response is different so the only likely safe period is after the third vaccination.
- a fully vaccinated animal will not pass on the disease, however an unvaccinated healthy looking adult dog can be a carrier
- viruses such as parvo are particularly long-lived in the environment, lasting anywhere from 1 to 7 months -- commonly surviving 5-7 months in an outside environment. Regular old bleach is still 100% effective against Parvovirus. The dilution for bleach is one part bleach to 30 parts water however due to the large amounts of virus particles shed in the feces of an infected dog (shedding lasts two weeks or more after exposure) and the longevity of the virus, complete eradication of the virus is often impossible.
- precautions need to be taken to lessen the risk of coming into contact with a diseased or carrier animal yet not so restrictive that it hinders the socialization and training that is so critical to ensuring the puppies proper cognitive, temperamental and behavioural development.

Crazy Like A Fox

After a great day with Ripley earning her Working Certificate and reconnecting with some great people at the EPS Working and Hunt test in Powassan ON, I spotted a vixen and her 3 pups playing on the side of the Hemlock road exit into Trout Creek ON.  Sadly only 2 of the 4 have been spotted during subsequent sightings.

 Taken June 11, 2011

Animal Assisted Activity Program

Animal Assisted Activity Program    

After several years of bugging work to allow me to bring my dogs in to play with the youths I have finally got the go ahead to begin an Animal Assisted Activity Program. On a regular basis the dogs and I will begin providing an individual approach to improve the literacy and communication skills of our youths in confilict with the law by employing a powerful method: reading out loud to the dog. The program utilizes the companionship of my dogs to build and encourage the youth's love of books and allows the participant to practice a broader range of communication skills in a safe, non-judgmental environment. The reading session is then concluded with an outdoor play session for the youth and the dog in order to support the program as an enjoyable event for all involved.
Background
Animal Assisted Activity is a type of therapy that involves an animal with specific characteristics becoming a fundamental part of influencing a youth's motivation for personal growth. Animal-assisted therapy is designed to improve the physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning of the participant, as well as to provide educational and motivational effectiveness for the participants.
Many kinds of animals are used in Animal Assisted Therapy, including dogs, cats, birds, dolphins, horses, rabbits, lizards, llamas, and other small animals. Such animals are often referred to as "comfort animals".

Benefits (1A)

Physical Improve fine motor skills. Improve gross motor skills. Increase physical activity. It is believed that AAT may also lower blood pressure (1) (2), alleviate stress and anxiety (3), as well as decrease depression (4). Educational Increase vocabulary. Aid in long- or short-term memory. Improve knowledge of concepts, such as size, color, etc. Increase attention span. (5) Improved knowledge of responsible dog ownership Motivational Improve willingness to be involved in the reading activity. Supports the reading experience (i.e. learn to enjoy reading for the sake of reading) Improve interactions with staff. (5) Improve interactions with others (5)

Mental Increase verbal interactions. Increase attention skills (i.e. staying on task). (5) Develop leisure/recreation skills. Increase self-esteem. (5) Reduce anxiety. (3) Reduce loneliness. Learn to trust. Enhance quality of life through the human-animal bond. Draws attention outward. Turns off anxiety, anger and depression. (3) (4) Creates a feeling of safety Increases positive expectations of both self and others

Footnotes

(1) Physiological effects of human/companion animal bonding.

Baun MM, Bergstrom N, Langston NF, Thoma L

Abstract

Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded in 24 subjects during 3 9-minute measurement sessions in which they petted an unknown dog, petted a dog with whom a companion bond had been established, or read quietly. Based on the findings of this study, several conclusions were drawn: (1) There is a significant difference in changes over time in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure between petting a dog with whom a companion bond has been established and petting a dog with whom no bond exists; (2) the decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure that occur during petting a dog with whom a companion bond has been established parallel the relaxation effect of quiet reading; and (3) there is a " greeting response" to the entry of a dog with whom a companion bond has been established, which results in significantly higher systolic and diastolic pressures than the response either to an unknown dog or to reading.

PMID: 6563527 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

(1A) Therapy Dogs International
 Perceptions of the Impact of Pet Therapy on Residents/Patients and Staff in Facilities Visited by Therapy Dogs
http://www.tdi-dog.org/images/TDIStudy.pdf

 (2) Animal-assisted therapy in patients hospitalized with heart failure.

Cole KM, Gawlinski A, Steers N, Kotlerman J

University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. nskmc@mednet.ucla.edu

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Animal-assisted therapy improves physiological and psychosocial variables in healthy and hypertensive patients.
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a 12-minute hospital visit with a therapy dog improves hemodynamic measures, lowers neurohormone levels, and decreases state anxiety in patients with advanced heart failure.
METHODS: A 3-group randomized repeated-measures experimental design was used in 76 adults. Longitudinal analysis was used to model differences among the 3 groups at 3 times. One group received a 12-minute visit from a volunteer with a therapy dog; another group, a 12-minute visit from a volunteer; and the control group, usual care. Data were collected at baseline, at 8 minutes, and at 16 minutes.
RESULTS: Compared with controls, the volunteer-dog group had significantly greater decreases in systolic pulmonary artery pressure during (-4.32 mm Hg, P = .03) and after (-5.78 mm Hg, P = .001) and in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure during (-2.74 mm Hg, P = .01) and after (-4.31 mm Hg, P = .001) the intervention. Compared with the volunteer-only group, the volunteer-dog group had significantly greater decreases in epinephrine levels during (-15.86 pg/mL, P = .04) and after (-17.54 pg/mL, P = .04) and in norepinephrine levels during (-232.36 pg/mL, P = .02) and after (-240.14 pg/mL, P = .02) the intervention. After the intervention, the volunteer-dog group had the greatest decrease from baseline in state anxiety sum score compared with the volunteer-only (-6.65 units, P =.002) and the control groups (-9.13 units, P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: Animal-assisted therapy improves cardiopulmonary pressures, neurohormone levels, and anxiety in patients hospitalized with heart failure.

PMID: 17962502 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

YORK REGION RINGWORK OUTBREAK UPDATES & INFORMATION

Press Release
http://www.ontariospca.ca/press_releases/2010/york-region-ringworm.html

June 6, 2010
Appointment of Investigator
"As mentioned a few weeks ago, an external investigation on the ringworm outbreak will be conducted. The Ontario SPCA takes its responsibilities as a public trust and the governing body of animal-care regulations very seriously. It's board chair, Rob Godfrey continues to take the steps he said he would regarding the appointment of an arm's-length investigator who will examine the protocols and procedures, and determine whether they were breached. This investigator will also examine all aspects of the handling of the outbreak by Ontario SPCA staff. The investigator will have unfettered access to all Ontario SPCA staff, volunteers and management, as well as anyone that was consulted regarding the ringworm outbreak. The investigator will report to the Ontario SPCA board upon completion of their probe. As board chairman, Mr. Godfrey pledged to make the investigator's report public at the earliest opportunity, and immediately undertake the appropriate actions necessary to prevent a similar crisis from occurring in the future."

May 13, 2010
Update from the York Region Shelter

"We hope that this sad episode will be over soon. We know this is an upsetting situation for animal lovers. But if something good can come out of it, it will be that we are more knowledgeable about these outbreaks so that we don't have to resort to these actions ever again. We hope the public will understand and work with us to put this in the past."

These are the facts:
- 99 animals have been humanely Euthanized to date.
- 96 animals have been fostered out to other accredited agencies, clinics, shelters and institutions capable of caring for them in isolation from other animals.
- 15 animals have been stolen.
- 15 animals who are not affected by the outbreak are in isolation in a portable structure on the site.
- 23 dogs and 91 cats need to be tested further. We are seeking temporary shelter for these animals for up to a month.
For more information contact
Rosaline Ryan
Director, Marketing and Communications
Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(416) 428-9886 Mobile

Alison Cross
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Mobile: 905.853.2108
Email: across@ospca.on.ca

Eden Kennels: PETITION for PROVINCIAL OVERSIGHT of the OSPCA

Eden Kennels: PETITION for PROVINCIAL OVERSIGHT of the OSPCA

PETITION for PROVINCIAL OVERSIGHT of the OSPCA

PETITION for PROVINCIAL OVERSIGHT of the OSPCA
Please feel free to download petition here
http://www.frank-klees.on.ca/Newsroom/documents/PetitionforProvincialOversightoftheOSPCA.doc

Resolution Calls for Provincial Oversight of OSPC
June 1, 2010 (Queen’s Park) Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees tabled the following resolution in the Ontario Legislature that if adopted, will bring the OSPCA under provincial oversight.
“That, in the opinion of this House, the Ontario Legislature call on the Government of Ontario to review the powers and authority granted to the OSPCA under the OSPCA Act and to make the necessary legislative changes to bring those powers under the authority of the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services to ensure that there is a clearly defined and effective provincial oversight of all animal shelter services in the province, and to separate the inspection and enforcement powers of the OSPCA from its functions as a charity providing animal shelter services.”

In addition to ensuring provincial oversight, the resolution also calls for the separation of the inspection and enforcement powers of the OSPCA from its functions as a charity providing animal shelter services.


"This resolution calls on the government to make the necessary legislative reforms to enact effective provincial oversight over the OSPCA and to make clear the separation of the inspection and enforcement powers of the OSPCA from its function as an animal shelter charity," said Klees.


Klees has also launched a “Petition for Provincial Oversight of the OSPCA” that can be found on his website.
McGuinty Gov’t Refuses MPP’s Call to Control OSPCA Investigation
May 17, 2010 (Queen’s Park) Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees today called on the government to take control of the investigation into the OSPCA's decision to euthanize the entire population of animals at its York Region shelter.

Dwight Duncan, the Acting Premier and MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh, refused, insisting the government has confidence in the OSPCA, and will allow the organization to oversee its own investigation.


"The Board admitted that the OSPCA staff and its so-called experts made serious mistakes that resulted in the unnecessary killing of a third of its shelter population before admitting that its euthanasia plan was unnecessary and wrong," said Klees. "Now the board is insisting that they should control the investigation into their own mismanagement. That's unacceptable and will only further erode public confidence in the organization.”

Klees wants the Minister of Public Safety to "take control of the file”, to appoint the investigator who will report back to the Minister, and to have that report tabled with the Legislature.


"Confidence can only be restored when the public is convinced that a truly independent investigation has taken place, is told the truth about what happened in York Region, and is assured that the necessary oversight is in place to ensure this can never happen again.”

ONTARIO HANSARD MAY 17, 2010

ANIMAL PROTECTION

Mr. Frank Klees: To the Acting Premier: The events of this week have undermined the public’s confidence in the OSPCA. That confidence will only be restored if the public is convinced that a truly independent investigation has taken place, is told the truth about what happened in York region, and is assured that the necessary oversight is in place to ensure that it can never happen again. That public confidence will not be restored if the OSPCA is allowed to commission and oversee its own investigation.


I’m asking the Acting Premier: Will he agree with me that the only way to restore that public confidence is for the Minister of Community Safety to appoint an independent investigator who will have that report back to him and to this Legislature—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Acting Premier?
Hon. Dwight Duncan: The members of this House, and indeed all Ontarians, were deeply troubled by the circumstances last week. I believe that the government has followed the legislation carefully. The OSPCA, as I understand it, is commissioning a review of this matter with independent veterinarians and advisers. That process will yield, I suspect, recommendations with respect to how to move forward to avoid these sorts of circumstances again.

We will continue to monitor what’s happening. The independent investigation that’s going on, I believe, is appropriate in the circumstances, to help satisfy the concerns that have been expressed by so many Ontarians.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?


Mr. Frank Klees: I fail to see why the government continues to let the OSPCA twist in the wind. The board admitted that that organization and its board made serious mistakes. Now the government is allowing that same board to appoint an investigator to investigate itself. This does nothing to restore public confidence.

I’m going to ask the minister one more time: Will he and his government do the right thing and take control of this file, appoint the independent investigator, require that that report comes back to the minister, not the board, and to this Legislature so that we can find out what went wrong, who was responsible and ensure this never happens again?

Hon. Dwight Duncan: I remind the member opposite that the OSPCA is an independent organization, as established by legislation that was approved by this House. There have been, over time, a number of changes to the act. Governments have recognized that animal welfare is best left to veterinarians and animal care experts.

I believe the OSPCA has taken the appropriate steps in this case, and that their findings will, hopefully, help avoid the very unfortunate circumstances that all of us witnessed last week and lead to a stronger system of protection of animals in Ontario going forward.


Klees calls for legislative changes to ensure regulatory oversight of the OSPCA


May 18 2010 The tragic circumstances surrounding events at the York Region OSPCA must not be allowed to happen again. Clear, regulatory oversight could have prevented these events.
Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees is calling on the provincial government to make the necessary legislative changes to ensure provincial oversight of the OSPCA.

Klees was joined by former Ontario Solicitor General David Turnbull, who spoke to the need to eliminate the real and perceived conflict of interest that occurs when the existing provincial policing body (OSPCA) is also a registered charity.

MEDIA CONFERENCE: OSPCA May 18, 2010 Queen’s Park Media Room
http://www.frank-klees.on.ca/Newsroom/documents/OSPCAmediaconference.doc

The Newmarket SPCA planned to euthanize 350 animals

Ontario animal shelter announces it will stop euthanization


By Stephanie Dearing.
Toronto - The Newmarket SPCA in Ontario, Canada, under fire for plans to euthanize 350 animals held at its shelter, announced it has stopped killing the animals in its care.

Receiving heavy criticism over its decision to euthanize 350 animals for a ringworm outbreak, the Newmarket SPCA had begun to back-peddle on its decision Wednesday, announcing it would evaluate animals on a case-by-case basis. Fifty animals were killed on Tuesday, and it is thought that close to 50 more were killed on Wednesday. But the remaining 250 or so animals will be spared, the shelter announced in a mid-morning press conference Thursday, reported the Toronto Star.

The press conference was scheduled for Thursday by the York Region SPCA. In a document [PDF] written for the conference, the shelter said it had been fighting the ringworm infection since February 2010. Kate MacDonald, the CEO and spokesperson for the shelter, said only 50 animals had been put down, 2 dogs and 48 cats. However, MPP Frank Klees, who jumped into the fight to save the shelter animals Tuesday, said on his website that 99 animals had been killed.

MacDonald said the shelter did not know how bad the ringworm infection was until May 10th. MacDonald insists that the euthanization was undertaken because of the risk to public health the problem posed, saying

"Now that animals and people are infected, it is not only an animal welfare issue but a public health issue too. We cannot risk contamination within other parts of the community. We are legally and morally bound to ensure that the contaminant is contained."

The York Region SPCA remained defiant, insisting the only way to deal with the infection was to put down all the animals in the shelter's care, saying

"This isn’t about funding. This is about containing an outbreak of a virulent strain of ringworm. We all agree that ringworm is treatable; however, in an animal shelter scenario it is much more challenging to get it under control, and the York Region Shelter has been fighting this since February, 2010."

Klees celebrated the reversal of the York Region SPCA decision saying

"This is the right thing to do. It's just unfortunate that it's two days late. Now we have to ensure that we get to the bottom of how we got here and ensure this never happens again."

UPDATE May 13, 1:30 pm:

The York Region SPCA has confirmed that it did indeed euthanize 99 animals earlier this week. The organization has published an explanation of its position on the website, while cancelling its fund raising walk-a-thon that was to be held this weekend. The OSPCA is now fighting for credibility after the York Region shelter decided it would not euthanize any further animals.

In the statement the York SPCA said

"The decision to humanely euthanize affected animals was made on the best clinical and medical evidence available to us."

The statement goes on to justify the actions taken, and what the shelter is doing now to sanitize the shelter, as well as care for the remaining animals. Of the original 352 animals at the shelter, less the animals already disposed of through euthanasia,

"... 96 animals have been fostered out to other accredited agencies, clinics, shelters and institutions capable of caring for them in isolation from other animals; 15 animals have been stolen; 15 animals who are not affected by the outbreak are in isolation in a portable structure on the site; 23 dogs and 91 cats need to be tested further. We are seeking temporary shelter for these animals for up to a month."

At the news conference this morning, reports CTV, the York Region SPCA said it had not clearly communicated with the public about how many animals would be put down, leading the public to believe 350 animals would be disposed of in order to deal with the virulent ringworm outbreak.

The public, while happy to hear that over 100 animals will be spared, are angry. One sign posted at the shelter say

"This is what our donations dollars did?"

The head of the OSPCA, Rob Godfrey now claims that less than 350 animals actually had ringworm. He promised the full report following the investigation would be released to the public.