A small victory for animal lovers - and a clear message as to who deserves your donor dollars

As ironic as it may seem to many people, this morning many of us are celebrating the capitulation of the Ontario Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (who should be PROTECTING animals), who, bowing down to public pressure, have backed away from mass euthanization of the 350 animals in its care.  Although, sadly, too late for 99 of those animals, we must take heart that through protest, outcry, media spotlight and pressure from a VERY few politicians - Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees - STAND and take a bow for having the courage to be heard!! - Having just visit Mr. Klees site - I find his slogan apt! "He Gets Things Done!" - He certainly did have some influence (I believe) on pressuring the OSPCA to stand down from its inhumane, arrogant and misplaced decision to kill all the animals it is mandated to protect.  Email Mr. Klees to say thank you!! and Newmarket/Aurora residents - lucky you to have such a conscientious representative!

Certainly, the very man who SHOULD have been at the forefront - the pathetic excuse for a premier - Dalton McGuinty  - not only did NOT choose to pressure the OSPCA to rescind their decision but BACKED them up. You can rest assured you weak, vacillating excuse for a politician - that people will remember this when the next election comes around - whether you choose to seek re-election or NOT - you have dealt the Liberals a TELLING blow!

Thank you too to the many vets who stood up and spoke out against this atrocity - it cannot have been easy as there was no doubt some pressure to remain united in face of the OSPCA allegations that it was two VETS that recommended the mass killings.

And to Pet Valu who stood up and told the OSCPA they were removing their support of its organizations ... you've just acquired my business!  A business that chooses the moral imperative over possible loss of business will, I believe, in the eyes of animal lovers - get LOTS more in grateful appreciation of your moral stand.

And to the Humane Society of Durham Region - from the very first announcement  you stood firm and pointed out rationally and passionately that this was a radical decision that had no basis in fact. That indeed, there was proof that ringworm - even in a crowded shelter environment - could and had been dealt with effectively without resorting to killing the animals!  Yes it took time, money and effort but the Humane Society of Durham Region obviously takes to heart the reason for their existence! You keep the HUMANE in your name for a reason!

OSPCA donors would be WELL advised to immediately cease all donations to the OSPCA and direct them to the Durham Humane Society who deserve that and more!

And kudos to all those individuals who wrote, called, braved inclement weather and demanded to be heard ... in the end your voices too forced the issue!

This has been a salutary and sad lesson for the Province of Ontario. Clearly, some changes must occur and occur soon.  NO organization should be entirely left to its own devices to police itself - the reality is that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." (or in this case, women - hello Kate MacDonald!!) (John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902).

Conversely, - William Pitt, the Elder (The Earl of Chatham and British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778) also noted "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it" .

I know that those of us who worked or volunteered at the THS saw the truth of this in the dictatorship of the Trow Crew and Kate MacDonald certainly exemplifies both phrases. Her arrogance, lack of compassion and self-importance have condemned thousands of animals to a death they did NOT deserve.

The current status of the OSPCA MUST change. A group, an individual, an organization must be given the authority not to control or constantly interfere, but act as a resort to which complaints can be addressed (and rectifications made), to which veto power under strict and specific criteria is accorded and who will, in short, be an ombudsman who can prevent and yes, STOP, the kind of misplaced, arrogant and inhumane choices being made by a slate of executives who seem to exemplify the financial bottom line as opposed to what their mandate truly is - CARING for the animals.

"“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"  (who will guard the guards) (Roman poet, Juvenal)

or conversely,

"Who will guard the Guardians?" (The Republic, Plato)

Someone MUST.