In its 125 year history, the THS has gone through lean times and bountiful ones. It has at various points in its long history been high kill, low kill and no kill. It has weathered controversy and battled those who would bring it down to the status of an animal warehouse. It has had good leaders and bad leaders and leaders with good intentions who did bad things. But through it all, it has fought to do the right thing.
On or about July 4, five dogs will reach the end of a very long journey and arrive in Toronto to be met by Toronto Humane Society staff and brought to 11 River Street for assessment, vetting and eventual adoption.
Five dogs from Thailand have found santuary in an organization that is exemplifying what it has always promised the city of Toronto - "ALL animals are welcome". Even little Kaa-Moo whose sweet nature makes having just three legs and a broken back which makes her incontinent irrelevant. On behalf of the THS, CEO Jacques Messier was also prepared to accept Lyca who is blind and little Evie who had a horrendous tunour which also blinded her recently removed. Those two however found refuge in Seattle and Calgary, respectively.
THANK you Jacques Messier for leading the THS back into its rightful place. Thank you Toronto Humane Society for working so hard to return to the people of Toronto an animal refuge that truly exemplifies the meaning of humane. Thank you THS staff for your determination and honesty and passion to move beyond the last few years of controversy and make 11 River Street once again a true REFUGE for every animal in need. Thank you also to Dominque, dog walker extrodinaire and to Lindsay of SCAD who has worked so long and so selflessly to make the lives of animals in Thailand a little better.
I bring you the Thailand Five:
December 2009
Female
Mixed (Thai Ridgeback features)
15-18 kgs (33-39.6Ibs) once fully grown
Kaa Moo was being looked after by a kind Thai lady down the road from SCAD. Kaa Moo sustained an injury to her leg which became severely infected. Her leg became so swollen that it resembled a pig's foot; hence the Thai name. The lady did not have the money to get Kaa Moo the medical care she needed, so asked our vet nurse for help. SCAD treated her leg and to try and get the infection under control. Unfortunately Kaa Moo's infection had been left for too long and despite trying many treatments, it was decided that amputation was the best course of action. Kaa Moo has made a full recovery from the amputation - however, a further x-ray showed a broken back near the base of her spine making Kaa Moo incontinent. She is currently undergoing acupuncture and we hope this made help repair some of the nerve endings.
Late 2010, early 2011
Male
Mixed
Around 15-18kg
Yound adult male Pat is like a boomerang, he always comes back! He was found one day outside the SCAD dog center, but he looked in very good shape and so was not immediately taken into the adoption program. For several weeks, Pat did his best to break into the dog center (with the assistance of certain volunteers!) and wagged his way into everyone's affections, until he became part of the furniture and it was impossible to make him leave! He has such a great personality that we are hopeful he'll find a real home soon! 
Unknown - young adult
Male
Mixed
Around 15-18kg
Spotty dog Wrinkle got his name from his very cute wrinkly head! Wrinkle came to SCAD during the recent flood crisis, when he was rescued from a flood area and brought to the TWP Shelter under SCAD's care. At first it was suspected Wrinkle had a dislocated left hip as his bone seemed to be sticking out at a very strange angle, however, x-rays revealed Wrinkle femural head (the 'ball' which fits into the 'socket' of his hip) was sheared off. Although complicated and painful surgery was an option, the vet instead recommended that as Wrinkle was in no pain from this defect, the hip should be left to form it's own joint. Aside from a lumpy hip, Wrinkle is fully mobile, pain free and loves to run!
Mid July 2011
Female
Mixed
10-15 kg (22-33 lb) when fully grown
Black puppy Shade was found dumped with her two sisters outside the new SCAD dog center one evening. She was tired, hungry and showing the early signs of skin condition mange, but was otherwise in good health and so was taken into the SCAD adoption program.
Unknown - young adult approximately 1-2 years
Male
Mixed
15-18kg
Handsome Sid came to SCAD after being rescued from a flood area by members of the TWP Coalition, consisting of SCAD, ENP and the Kinship Circle. He came to us obviously very afraid of humans and was virtually impossible to handle (which earned him the nickname ‘Grumpypants’) but after working with him gently for several weeks, Sid has been transformed into a loving and affectionate dog. Sid is now looking for his forever home!
And thank you Jacques Messier for having been a former CEO of Novopharm - one of Canada's largest pharmaceutical manufacturers. All drug companies test and do research on animals which is why they want veterinarians (unfortunately not for the benefit of the animals). He and the other animal researchers are the ones we are usually writing petitions against.
ReplyDeleteYes he was Margaret Ann - and I had reserved judgment but people can change and he is doing (so far) an excellent job of steering the ship. He is taking on with these Thai dogs some very expensive and very challenging medical issues which is encouraging and heartening.
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