The city’s killings of dogs are no joke (Star, March 19, 2010)...Animal cruelty not a laughing matter (News, March 19/10).

Animals are once again used as the butt or springboard of jokes on CBC radio. On Thursday, CBC’s Yukon A New Day crew played a “dog catcher” song prior to Sandi Coleman’s interview with outgoing city bylaw manager John Taylor, a story the Star had broken the previous Monday.
After this song, program director Roch Shannon Fraser appeared to crank up the volume when he said, “We caught something!” The crew broke out with “Ha-ha-ha’s; hee-hee-hee’s.”

Can someone at the CBC please tell the public what is so funny with respect to animal cruelty? When will you stop using nonhumans as a pathetic joke? Do you find the fact that Bylaw catches, kills, and has done nothing to address the ongoing problem facing dogs in Whitehorse, funny?

Did you know that Bylaw is now keeping the killing of animals in the pound confidential? Maybe CBC could ask a few tough questions for Mr. Taylor to answer, like, “Why is it now a big secret on the amount of animals killed by the city?”

John Taylor is proud to remember the story of Trooper the dog (which was dragged down Hamilton Boulevard).Since charges were laid (thanks to concerned citizens) and Trooper is in a good home, this is a good story to “remember,” said Mr. Taylor.

What? The Trevor the dog saga (which is still ongoing) isn’t a “story to remember”? Well, I guess not when the City of Whitehorse, led by Mr. Taylor, has spent upwards of about $30,000 to kill Trevor. A story which has made national and international news. A story which the CBC failed to air correctly despite many resources at its ready. Why did the CBC bother showing-up in court? Just so one of their high-profile “reporters” could jokingly ask Mr. Taylor, “Is he still barking?” – referring to Trevor?

Speaking of animals, when will CBC Yukon take a break from giving the exploiters and killers of nonhumans a stepping stone for the inhumane treatment of animals? Here is one for you: How about interviewing YTG on the so-called new Animal Protection Act? Ask why, since this new act was amended, there appears to be no true protection for animals in the Yukon? Ask why the exploiters and killers of, let’s say, dogs, don’t appear to be concerned that this act will affect the way they exploit “their” dogs.

The Animal Protection Act is truly an act that protects humans from doing pretty much anything they want to do to non-humans; an act which states it’s what humans want from animals, not what is good for animals that drives government polices.

CBC: please put public money at work; investigate the subjects of your report!

For the animals!

Mike Grieco
Whitehorse

P.S. I hope the ignorant, rude and appalling person who phoned me regarding my letters to the editor would please go public with what you said to me.

Otherwise, find a positive way to relax – without killing animals.