!  To Premier Eves & Ottawa MPPs

Return seized animals to the Wildlife Centre for critical rehabilitation

Update:  May 2, 2003 - MNR has released these animals in the rabies hot zone on crown land in Southeastern Ontario.  They were apparently "hard" released i.e.  left there without the benefit of any further rehabilitation to learn crucial skills such as foraging or climbing and presumably no way to check on their progress.  Read MNR press release.

Posted March 31, 2003.  The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) seized 40 young animals from the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre last September, an unjustified action that has outraged residents in Eastern Ontario.

The admission by MNR Minister Jerry Ouellette that the animals have been separated and are being caged individually has appalled wildlife rehabilitation experts in Canada and the United States.  Seven months, caged alone and isolated, in a research facility, is cruel treatment for sociable animals.  It is not only inhumane but in contravention of basic international wildlife rehabilitation standards.

The MNR has acknowledged that the animals will be released this spring.  However, the Wildlife Centre needs 6-8 weeks to rectify the damage that MNR has done by separating these highly social animals.  The Centre needs to get the animals back to a proper rehab facility where they can be rehabilitated and re-socialized to ensure they have some chance of survival on release.  Otherwise, they will have none.

The Centre has an application that will be heard by the court on April 17th for the return of the animals but we are asking for the leadership of the Premier and local Tory MPPs to do the right thing in not waiting until then. Every day counts for these animals.  It is unconscionable that they have been kept this long.  Ottawa residents brought these young animals to a rehabilitation centre for care and release not to be dragged off and held in a research facility in a manner that violates humane standards of care.  We expect more from our elected officials.

What can I do?

The next 3 weeks are critical !!  A brief e-mail from you, your family and your friends can make the difference for these animals.  Please take a few minutes to help them.  Send a message to your MPP and copy those below.

John Baird, mailbox@johnbaird.com
Garry Guzzo, garry_guzzo@ontla.ola.org
Brian Coburn, brian_coburn@ontla.ola.org
Norm Sterling, norm_sterlingco@ontla.ola.org.

We suggest also copying the following on any emails sent:
Ernie Eves, ernie_eves@ontla.ola.org
Jerry Ouellette, jerry_ouellette@ontla.ola.org
Dalton McGuinty, dalton_mcguinty-mpp@ontla.ola.org
Ernie Parsons, Liberal critic for MNR, ernie_parsons-mpp@ontla.ola.org
Richard Patten, richard_patten-mpp@ontla.ola.org.

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