Ottawa Humane Society to review euthanization
JEFF PAPPONE
From Friday's Globe and Mail Sept. 15, 2006
OTTAWA - The Ottawa Humane Society bowed to pressure from angry animal
lovers Wednesday and announced a review of a controversial test that
determines whether dogs arriving at the shelter live or die.
The decision comes five days after The Globe and Mail reported that the
animal shelter euthanized a Lhasa Apso because it failed what some experts
believe is a questionable temperament test.
"Well, our community wants it and so we are going to do it," said Bruce
Roney, OHS executive director. "Like any charity, the Humane Society exists
because the community wants it to exist, so I think we have to listen to
that, and we are. We really hope this will be helpful to animals in the long
term."
Although the OHS initially stood by its testing, it relented after several
calls from donors threatening to pull their support. .
Kevin Skerrett and Simone Powell brought a Lhasa Apso to the shelter in July
hoping it would be reunited with its owners. They indicated that they would
take it home should the owner not be found. Although they were willing to
hire a dog trainer to correct its perceived problems, the shelter euthanized
the animal.
After seeing the temperament test at work, which included prodding the dog
with a fake hand on a stick after it had been given food, the horrified
couple wrote a letter to the OHS demanding a review.
"We were glad to see it, but we think the review must look at the full range
of policies and protocols relating to euthanasia for all the animals coming
under their care. We are not saying 'no assessment'; we're saying what does
it look like and what is a reasonable standard," Ms. Powell said.
"We also want the scope of the review to allow for the consideration of the
role of the rehabilitation for animals with behaviour challenges and also
those with chronic medical problems."
The OHS review will focus on three areas: the testing it employs to judge
animal temperament, the procedures used to assess who can adopt animals with
special needs, and its public-relations efforts for explaining its actions.
But Mr. Roney stressed that the review will not examine employees'
qualifications, although it may recommend some training.
OHS reviews in 2002 and 2005 did not look specifically at temperament
assessment. Mr. Roney did not know when the review would begin or how long
it would take, but he said he would start calling other shelters next week
for advice.
"I don't want to set up expectations that this will happen at the end of
this week," he said.
Mr. Roney would not reveal how many dogs and cats the OHS destroys annually,
saying it would be unfair to put a number "out there" without context.
Mr. Roney said he hopes the review will also help dispel some misconceptions
that have arisen since the story was published.
Special to The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060915.wxhumane15/BNSto