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Ottawa city council seeks return to progressive wildlife
service Ottawa, June 23, 2004 – The City of Ottawa will ask the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) to restore wildlife rehabilitation
services, while ending a controversial rabies program that has resulted
in the killing of more than 9,700 animals across Eastern Ontario over
the past four years. Brain tissue tests later revealed that 99.8% of
these animals were healthy.
Today, Ottawa city council supported four motions that had been
passed unanimously on June 3 by its Health, Recreation and Social
Services Committee, asking that OMNR:
- Discontinue its controversial practice of “depopulation” (mass
slaughtering of animals within five kilometres of a positive rabies
case)
- Adopt a more “effective, cost-efficient and humane strategy” to
raccoon rabies control
- Recognize the importance of allowing wildlife rehabilitation in
rabies control
- Work cooperatively with municipalities and others to provide
“effective wildlife response based on realistic and progressive
public education, not alarmist fear-mongering and the denial of help
for people seeking to assist wildlife in distress.”
“I congratulate Ottawa city council for its foresight in addressing
an issue that has become Ontario’s shame,” says Donna DuBreuil,
President, Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre. “OMNR’s raccoon rabies
program has killed thousands of healthy adult animals while putting the
Ottawa Humane Society and local veterinarians in the shocking position
of having to euthanize healthy baby wild animals of all species.”
On June 10, Alta Vista Animal Hospital (AVAH) issued a press release
saying it does not want to euthanize healthy wildlife, which is what
the current provincial rules effectively require veterinarians and
humane societies to do. An earlier announcement by the Ottawa Humane
Society advising residents to not bring in wild animals, saying the
Society is forced by provincial law to euthanize sick, injured and
orphaned wild animals.
Dr. Dan Rodgers, a veterinarian at AVAH, stressed that: “Animal
care professionals work hard to save animals. Having to turn away
compassionate people looking for help for an orphaned baby squirrel or
rabbit or being expected to euthanize these healthy animals is having a
devastating impact on our staff”.
The Ottawa council decision comes just two weeks after a landmark
meeting between OMNR Minister David Ramsay and representatives of the
Ontario Wildlife Coalition. Its members include over 80 wildlife
rehabilitation, environmental and animal protection organizations,
including the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre.
At the June 9 meeting at Queen’s Park, facilitated by Ottawa-Centre
MPP Richard Patten, Ramsay agreed to follow up on an election promise
from 11 Eastern Ontario Liberal MPPs, including Premier Dalton McGuinty,
to review OMNR’s controversial raccoon rabies program as well as
regulations governing wildlife rehabilitation. While in Opposition, the
Ontario Liberals presented 9,000 signed petitions from over 260
communities in Ontario calling for such changes.
“This is an issue that has repercussions across Ontario,” adds
Debbie Lawes, Board Member, Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre. “The City
of Ottawa’s continued concern over this issue, combined with Mr.
Ramsay’s commitment to review OMNR’s raccoon rabies program, are
important steps that we hope will lead to progressive policies that
allow responsible wildlife rehabilitation in the province.”
Raccoon rabies ranks near the bottom of human health risks. Yet the
Ontario government continues to spend $6 million annually on a program
that is both controversial and scientifically unproven. Ontario is the
only jurisdiction in North America that kills all vector species
(raccoons, skunks, fox) within five kilometres of a positive rabies
case – a practice known as ”depopulation.”
New regulations imposed by the OMNR have resulted in the loss of
dozens of wildlife rehabilitators across the province, including the
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre in 2002. The Centre cared for upwards
of 1,100 orphaned and injured wild mammals and assisted close to 6,000
area residents in resolving wildlife problems each year. A network of
wildlife experts, veterinarians and highly trained volunteers worked as
a team to provide medical care, rehabilitation and release services for
these animals.
Material submitted to local councils:
Click here for letter & backgrounder sent to local councils
For more information, contact
Debbie Lawes, Board Member, Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
(613) 729-5096
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