http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/05/12/ontario-euthanasia.html

May 12, 2010
Euthanasia at animal shelter sparks protests
By CBC News
CBC News

Anger is growing in Ontario over a decision by the province's animal protection agency to euthanize about 350 animals.

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began destroying the animals on Tuesday after revealing they were infected by ringworm.

The OSPCA said its veterinarians and experts decided the way to deal with the epidemic was to destroy the dogs, cats, rabbits and other small animals inside the York Region shelter, located in Newmarket, just north of Toronto.

Dozens of protesters gathered at the shelter Wednesday to express their displeasure at the program. Many told CBC News that ringworm is treatable and that killing the animals is a heavy-handed approach to controlling the outbreak.

Shelter officials, however, said they made the decision in consultation with veterinarians, who found the ringworm strain unusually aggressive and resilient to anti-fungal medications.

On Wednesday, pet food chain Pet Valu told CBC News it would end its support of the York region OSPCA. The company wants its name removed from the shelter's website, plans to end in-store advertising about shelter events and will halt its funding support for the shelter.

By Wednesday afternoon, the controversy had enveloped the provincial legislature. At Queen's Park, Premier Dalton McGuinty said the shelter's decision could not have been an easy one.

"I know the decision to have a number of animals euthanized recently is very difficult for those involved," McGuinty said. "It's very painful for those who have to watch from the sidelines, but I think we have to have confidence in our experts.

"When you're talking about animals and animal welfare, it's something that can be very emotional, that can be very near or dear to the hearts of people."

Human error caused the outbreak

The shelter said that the outbreak was caused by human error and that protocols for identifying ringworm in animals were not followed.

The branch plans to undergo a thorough cleansing and an inspection to ensure the ringworm is eradicated before it reopens for adoptions, the society said Tuesday.

The Opposition has called on the Liberals to tell the OSPCA to halt to the euthanization program while alternatives are discussed.

"I don't trust the SPCA," said Frank Klees, the Conservative MPP who represents the riding where the shelter is located. "I don't trust the board. It's a wrong decision.

"Veterinarians across the province, animal rescue organizations across the province, ordinary citizens across the province are saying 'Let us be part of an alternative solution that will save the lives of these animals.'"

The government has said the Ontario SPCA is an independent organization and, according to Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci, the province has no authority over it.

Calling it a "very, very serious situation," Bartolucci said "we have to trust that … this group has acted in the best interests [of the community]."

The OSPCA said it had no choice but to order the destruction of all of the animals to contain the outbreak and stop it from spreading into the wider community â€" though it did later say about 20 of the pets would be spared.

That didn't sit well with the dozens of protesters at the shelter.

"Their latest comments were that they're going to try and save 20 dogs, and they're going to try and do it on a case-by-case basis," said protester Christine Reider. "Well, why weren't they doing the same thing yesterday, when they put all the cats and small animals down?"

Police arrested two protesters who tried to enter the shelter. The protesters said they wanted to enter to see for themselves what was going on inside. They were charged with trespassing, fined $55 and released shortly after their arrest.

Protesters gather outside the animal shelter in Newmarket, Ont., on Wednesday, upset that more 300 animals are being destroyed because of a ringworm outbreak.