Toronto listeners will likely be aware of the recent Globe and Mail’s shocking investigation of the Toronto Humane Society (THS), Canada’s largest animal shelter. The allegations are serious and damning, including claims that animals languish in filthy conditions, as others are left to slowly die without proper veterinary care, while still others are adopted out with undisclosed pre-existing health conditions. Needless to say, the Globe article sparked huge public outcry.
As those who work in animal shelters can attest, the labour is demanding and an ideal care environment can be difficult to achieve. Many feel that the THS has not met the challenges well, arguing that animals continue to suffer unnecessarily under the organization’s watch. After the Ontario Society for the Protection of Animals (OSPCA) stepped in to begin their own comprehensive investigation, the THS quickly declared itself vindicated by the organization’s initial search, contrary to the opinion of the OSPCA. In this interview, Kristin Williams, spokesperson for the OSPCA, discusses the frictional relationship between the OSPCA and the THS, the phases of the investigation, and potential legal ramifications. Williams also weighs in on some of the sticky issues, such as euthanasia and pet overpopulation, that the THS controversy has undeniably pushed into the foreground.
News links:
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- Taiwan to enact world’s strictest law on veggie food labeling
- Improve image to fight activists, speaker says
- Animal experiments could end in a generation
Listen right now:
Animal Voices 