New Title, Same Concern for Animals

New Title,
Same Concern for Animals
The Alberta SPCA’s animal protection
personnel now have new titles and
uniforms to conform to recentlyintroduced provincial legislation. Now
known as Peace Officers rather than
their previous designation of Special
Constable, their concern for animals
and high investigative standards will
continue to be evident as they respond
to reports of suspected animal abuse
and neglect across the province.
The changes were required under
terms of the Public Security Peace
Officer Program, under the authority of
Alberta’s Peace Officer Act which came
into effect May 1, 2007. The program
establishes criteria for the identification
and practices of all peace officers
employed in Alberta.
Our field personnel are officially
designated as ‘Alberta Peace Officers
Level 2,’ a title reserved for peace
officers with specific knowledge of a
subject and who conduct a range of
enforcement duties across the province.
Alberta SPCA Peace Officers, with
their extensive training and experience
in handling livestock and companion
animals and conducting investigations
province-wide, readily fit these criteria.
The department is now known as
Animal Protection Services, to reflect
the focus on obtaining compliance
with regulated animal welfare
standards. Our Peace Officers are still
appointed by the Solicitor General to
VOL. 28 • NO. 1 • WINTER/SPRING 2008
Cold weather
brings trouble
for animals
When temperatures plummeted, our phone
lines lit up. The extreme cold conditions
that hit Alberta during the last week of
January brought a flurry of calls to our
toll-free animal abuse and neglect line
(1-800-455-9003).
Alberta SPCA Peace Officer Jackie
Lozinski in the new uniform.
investigate alleged offences against the
Animal Protection Act and associated
regulations.
The new uniforms, which our
Peace Officers began wearing in
January, have only minor differences to
conform to provincial standards – for
example, they have blue trouser stripes
and a modified shoulder flash. Vehicles
with new markings will be phased in
during 2008 and early 2009.
The Peace Officer Act was also
proclaimed to strengthen provincial
standards and accountability among
enforcement agencies. The Alberta
SPCA, however, was already meeting
or exceeding the standards and
consequently the public won’t notice
any difference in procedures. Anyone
who suspects an animal is in distress is
urged to call our central dispatch
toll-free at 1-800-455-9003.
A peek
inside...
We received several hundred calls in
just the first few days. Callers from all over
the province reported animals left outside
without protection from the bitter cold
and wind. Many of the calls were about
dogs chained up outdoors, either without
shelter or tangled and unable to reach
their doghouse. Other calls reported horses
in fields without any windbreaks visible.
Callers also reported concerns about other
animals – cats, sheep, cattle and more.
The calls were often heartbreaking.
One caller reported a horse that was “a
rack of bones” with a sway back and
protruding hips. The horse was pawing the
Continued on page 2
Education
Update
From Our
Legal Files
In Loving
Memory
Reader
Survey
p. 3
p. 4
p. 6
p. 8
AnimalKind
Cold weather brings trouble for animals – Continued from page 1
snow looking for grass, and was unable
to get out of the wind. Another caller
told of a tethered, short-haired dog
that was tangled and matted, with no
food. It was yelping and whimpering
with the cold. A dog in another part
of the province had been tied to the
stump of a tree for several days with
no shelter, and no tracks coming out of
the home – indicating that the dog had
not been fed for quite some time.
Our Peace Officers responded
quickly and efficiently, prioritizing
cases and planning their routes to get
to locations as quickly as possible.
Often they had to battle treacherous
conditions, with many highways and
country roads slippery with ice or
covered with snow drifts.
In some cases we helped the
animals by supplying food or arranging
for veterinary care. One case consisted
of a herd of horses that hadn’t been
AnimalKind
is published by the Alberta
Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals
President: James Arends
Executive Director: Terra Johnston
Managing Editor: Tim Battle
Contributing Editor: Melissa Logan
Opinions expressed in AnimalKind are
not necessarily those of the Alberta
SPCA. To find out more about the work
we do for animals across Alberta, visit
our website at: www.albertaspca.org
Our Mission Statement
The mission of the Alberta SPCA is to
have every animal in Alberta humanely
treated.
To accomplish this, there must
be acceptance that humans are
responsible for the welfare of animals;
and there must be an understanding of
the physical and behavioural needs of
animals.
PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO.
40065555 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE
CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO THE
ALBERTA SPCA
2
10806-124 Street, Edmonton, AB
T5M 0H3
Phone: (780) 447-3600
Fax: (780) 447-4748
email: [email protected]
fed for weeks. Being unable to locate
the owner, we supplied feed and
contracted some nearby residents to
care for them until we could arrange
to have them moved to a caretaking
facility.
The worst cases involved animals
that were already in compromised
condition prior to the cold snap.
In these cases, the extreme cold
aggravated the animals’ suffering.
While many large animals can
withstand cold temperatures, if they
are already undernourished, sick or
injured they may not survive. For
that reason, it’s always best to call
us whenever you see an animal that
appears thin, unhealthy or otherwise
in distress – don’t wait for the
temperature to drop. That way we
can assess the situation and ensure
the animals are cared for before the
situation becomes critical.
Rex’s Journey
On August 13, 2007, at a construction
site near Strathmore, some workers
uncovered a severely injured orange
tabby cat. The frightened cat
appeared to be in a lot of pain and
exhibited difficulty walking. They
immediately took the wounded cat to
the Strathmore Veterinarian Clinic to
receive care. While the veterinarians
were assessing the injuries they
discovered an identification tattoo!
They contacted the owner of the cat
to deliver the news concerning the
accident, however the owner had
not seen the cat for nine years and
assumed the cat was already long
gone. The owner was no longer in a
situation to care for the cat, especially
given his injuries, and surrendered the
cat over to the Strathmore Veterinarian
Clinic.
The veterinarians performed an
array of tests including radiographs
that revealed multiple fractures to the
cat’s left femur, and concluded that
the leg would need to be amputated.
Dr. Poveda from the clinic performed
the amputation surgery. The operation
was a success and the cat spent several
days at the clinic recovering. “Rex”
was then adopted by Dr. Wolper, a
veterinarian and co-owner of the
Strathmore Veterinarian Clinic. Dr.
Wolper lives on an acreage with an
abundance of space and many animals
including cats, dogs and horses. Rex
has fully recovered and has adjusted
nicely to using just three legs. He is
now enjoying his new farm life and is
grateful to the many compassionate
people that helped him along the way.
Education Update
Alberta SPCA’s Education
Program is expanding!
We’ve hired another teacher to keep
up with the growing demand for our
humane education programs. Melissa
Logan, who began as the Education
Program Manager in December, will
be working with Director of Education
Tim Battle to expand the education
program. Melissa is helping out at
Teachers’ Conventions and developing
additional educational resources.
The winning essays were chosen
because of their exemplary expressions
of caring for animals. They embody
the principles of kindness and
compassion towards animals, which
demonstrate the upstanding qualities
of their authors. The winning essays
were published in our AnimalWise
newsletter for teachers and on our
website at albertaspca.org/essays.asp,
but we wanted to mention one student
in particular.
Jessica Zutz of Okotoks was a
prize winner with her essay, “Never
too Young to Make a Difference.”
In it she described her efforts to
help local animal shelters by setting
up collection bins for donations of
blankets and towels. Calling it the
“Snuggle Buddies” project, Jessica
got barrel-shaped bins donated, then
solicited local businesses to put them
in their stores. This enterprising young
person did this all while in Grade 12,
despite being told she was too young
to volunteer in the traditional sense.
Jessica, with her love for animals,
is now in pre-veterinary studies at
university.
Contest
This year’s contest is an AnimalArt
contest. Again open to any
student in Alberta, details can be
found in the current AnimalWise
newsletter or at
albertaspca.org/contest.asp.
Alberta SPCA Animal
Protection Services
• Director of Animal Protection
Services: Peace Officer Morris
Airey, Edmonton
• F ield Supervisor: Peace Officer
Ken Dean, Red Deer
Peace Officers
Stuart Dodds, Edmonton
Don Ferguson, Edmonton
Julie Goforth, Grande Prairie
Jackie Lozinski, Red Deer
Rod McLaughlin, Edmonton
Reporting animal
abuse or neglect in
Alberta
Young people making a
difference for animals
Here in Alberta we’re lucky to have
so many caring young people, and
dedicated teachers to guide them. We
recently learned about some of them
through our essay contest we held last
year.
Open to any student in Alberta,
the 2007 essay contest asked young
writers to share examples of acts of
kindness performed by themselves
or role models. Once again we had a
huge response to our contest, with
great young minds entering from all
corners of the province. Though our
judges found it hard to narrow down
the field to just a few prize recipients,
they were gratified to find so many
young Albertans who so eloquently
expressed their concern for animals.
That’s why we say everyone who enters
is a winner!
AnimalArt
SPCAs and Humane Societies
rely on the public to help
prevent cruelty to animals. To
report suspected animal abuse
or neglect, call the appropriate
number below:
In Calgary,
call the Calgary Humane Society
at (403) 205-4455
In Edmonton,
call the Edmonton Humane
Society at (780) 491-3502
In Fort McMurray,
call the Fort McMurray SPCA at
(780) 743-8997
Jessica Zutz with a Snuggle
Buddies collection bin.
in all other areas of Alberta,
call the Alberta SPCA at
1-800-455-9003
3
AnimalKind
FROM OUR LEGAL FILES...
Our Peace Officers were extremely busy in the past year – in fact,
2007 was our busiest year ever. Our Animal Protection Services
launched 1,952 investigations – 140 more than the previous year and
an increase of 14% over 2005. Of the cases initiated in 2007, 28 were
severe enough to warrant charges being laid.
Companion animals comprised 44% of 2007’s investigations, horses
accounted for 28%, and other livestock the remaining 28%. The
following summaries of cases concluded during 2007 provide a
snapshot of the types of cases that result in convictions
New Chance for Mistreated Dogs!
Responding to a call in February
2007, Alberta SPCA Peace Officer
Stuart Dodds discovered two extremely
emaciated dogs, a German shepherd
cross and a Rottweiler, at a residence
in Alberta Beach. The dogs were found
outside in a dog run with no evidence
of food or water; and there were no
tracks in the snow that would indicate
someone had fed them recently.
Peace Officer Dodds provided the
dogs with food, which they rapidly
devoured. He also left a warning
notice indicating that corrective action
regarding food and possible medical
attention was imperative. However,
when followup visits indicated that
no action was taken to improve
the health of the dogs, they were
subsequently taken into custody and
promptly examined by a veterinarian.
The veterinarian confirmed that
the dogs were emaciated due to
malnourishment and were taken to
an animal control centre to receive
necessary care. The dogs responded
well to their new environment; they
began gaining weight and were soon
ready to be put up for adoption.
On May 3, 2007 Evan Batke
and Nancy O’Brien of Alberta Beach
pleaded guilty to a charge under
Section 2(1) of the Animal Protection
Act and were each fined $500.
$1000 fine for Neglect of
Mare and Foal
On November 7, 2007 Leroy
Henderson pleaded guilty to a charge
under Section 2(1) of the Animal
Protection Act for the mistreatment of
horses.
This resulted from a response by
an Alberta SPCA Peace Officer to a
call regarding two horses in distress.
Our Peace Officer, accompanied by a
veterinarian, assessed the conditions
of the mare and her foal on a property
near Turner Valley.
Both horses were extremely thin,
and due to severe malnourishment
the mare was incapable of producing
milk for her foal. The mare was also
suffering from a severely infected leg.
Following veterinarian
recommendations, the mare
was euthanized. The foal was
quickly adopted, but as a result of
undernourishment attributed to an
absence of milk from its mother, it died
shortly after. Consequently, Henderson
was fined $1000 by the Okotoks court.
A few months later: Duke is
now happy and healthy with
his new family.
Peace Officer Dodds found the dogs
outside without food or water.
The absence of tracks in the snow
indicated that the dogs hadn’t been
fed recently.
At the veterinary clinic: Duke, the German shepherd cross just
after being taken into custody. He is thin due to malnourishment.
4
FROM OUR LEGAL FILES...
“Willy” finds a Loving Home!
Responding to calls from concerned
citizens regarding the wellbeing of
a dog at a Red Deer residence, an
Alberta SPCA Peace Officer discovered
a malnourished German shepherdCross exhibiting wounds around the
mouth and nose.
The dog’s owners claim that the
dog’s aggression necessitated a muzzle
and that the facial wounds were
caused by the muzzle. After obtaining
a search warrant, our Peace Officer
seized the dog and delivered it to a
veterinarian for further investigation
and care. The dog displayed no
signs of aggression; however, it was
underweight, dehydrated and had
severely infected facial wounds.
Following treatment and transfer
to the Red Deer & District SPCA,
“Willy” was adopted by a loving family.
On April 30, 2007 Wayne Wakeling of
Red Deer pleaded guilty to a charge
under Section 2(1) of The Animal
Protection Act and was fined $400.
Dead Chickens found
On January 19, 2007 Alberta
SPCA Peace Officer Jackie Lozinski
investigated a property near Red Deer
after receiving a report of chickens and
turkeys in distress. The investigation
revealed dozens of chicken and
turkey carcasses, in addition to one
live chicken with frostbitten feet.
Peace Officer Lozinski returned to
the property with a search warrant
and removed 62 poultry carcasses.
Pathology reports confirmed that
starvation and dehydration were the
cause of death.
The surviving chicken, found
wandering on a neighbor’s property,
was taken into custody and brought to
a caretaking facility. Unfortunately, it
had to be euthanized shortly after due
to an inability to walk.
On June 25, 2007 Ryan Gray
pleaded guilty to a charge under the
Animal Protection Act and was fined
$100. In addition, he was ordered to
make a donation of $400 to a local
humane society.
Negligent Horse Owner Faces
Fines and Prohibition
Responding to a call on December 8,
2006, Peace Officer Jackie Lozinski
discovered one dead and several thin
horses on a property near Innisfail.
Seeing no sign of feed, Peace Officer
Lozinski left a notice at the residence
informing the owner of the dead horse
and the actions required to improve
the wellbeing of the remaining live
horses. She also contacted the owner
by telephone, providing him with
information regarding proper feeding
techniques to improve the horses’
health, since they were too thin to
survive the frigid winter temperatures.
A followup visit accompanied
by a veterinarian revealed a second
dead horse on the property. The
post-mortem analysis indicated that
starvation was the cause of death
to both horses. The remaining
malnourished horses were taken into
custody and the owner charged under
the Animal Protection Act.
After pleading guilty on May 14,
2007, Michael Friesen of Innisfail was
fined $1000 and prohibited from
owning horses for three years.
Negligence Leaves 69 Cattle Dead
Alberta SPCA Peace Officers launched an investigation in response to a call
in March 2007 regarding dead cattle on a property near Sherwood Park. After
obtaining a search warrant, Peace Officer Rod McLaughlin, accompanied by a local
veterinarian and two RCMP officers, searched the premises.
They found the property in a dire state. Sixty-nine dead cattle were scattered
about the premises amongst approximately 174 extremely emaciated cattle,
including pregnant and calving cows. There was no evidence of feed on the
property. Following veterinarian recommendations, the cattle were rounded up and
provided with nourishment for the night while arrangements were made to have the
cattle moved off the property. The following day the cattle were relocated, and then
later sold at an auction.
Jim Jenkins of Sherwood Park was found guilty under Section 2(1) of the Animal
Protection Act and was fined $1500. He is also prohibited from owning more than
20 head of cattle, or up to 30 cattle upon approval from a veterinarian.
One of approximately 100 extremely malnourished cattle.
5
AnimalKind
IN LOVING MEMORY
Beloved people and animals
remembered through memorial
donations of $50 or more:
Margaret Auxier by Sheila Bertram
“Babs” & “Rory” by Joanne Peterson
Cameron Glen Bailey by Bryan Reynolds
Kenneth Beecroft
by Shirley & Harold Foster
Erna Belter by John & Sandra Lyster
James Berg by David & Susan Perry
Beryl Beyde by Diana Lakusta
“Bianca” by John Grzesiak
“Bombay” by Claudia Shepherd
Maura Boyd
by Carol Collier, Donald Black, Arnsby
Property Mgmt, Susan Irish, Parkdale Social
Committee, Ray & Renee Klein, Joan Kent,
Lynne Henning, Carol & Douglas Blades
Maura Boyd & Gabby by Sheila Hughson
Brandon by Perri Besserer
“Brandy” & “Mugger” by Carol Lowery
Mary Brooks by Monica Bodnar
Mary Burns by Ian, Ruth, Judy, Bob,
Peter & Paddi Jackson
Chuck Cameron by Gwen Cameron-Stead
Suzanne Charlton by Kristin Charlton
Phillip Myron Christie by Anka Mihaila
Thomas Crawford by Gary & Nancy Mah
Nana Dalton by Tony & Staff
(Norris Ford Sales Ltd)
Denise Dawson by Barbara Johnson
Dortch family Mother/Grandmother
by Nancy Kinney
“Duchess” by Leane Guthrie
Susan Dvornek by Mary Smale
“Erzie” by Kerri Angus
Dorothy Fahl by Colleen Floria
“Flurry” by Gwen Lamoureux
“Frankie”, “Arthur” & “Fishie”
by Shannon Cooper
Elizabeth Froehlich by Axia NetMedia Corp
Paul Clarence Gaunt by Elizabeth Engberg
“Guiness” & “Bud” Ross
by Vet Services Venture West
Dale Gunderson by Mary Oakes
“Gussy” by Corinne Tennant
“Hailey” by Monica Gaal
“Honey” by Melody Ramos
Steve Hunt by Lou Anne Tesch, Mike
& Perry (Park Paving Canada Inc),
Jardine Lloyd Thompson
“Ike” & “Tibet” by John & Patricia Johnson
“Indie” by Janet Frederick
6
Richard (Dick) Irving by Esther Schwab
“Ivory ‘Ivy’ Rose” VandenBrink
by Terri Walker
“Jazz” by Tracy Torrence
“Joey” Kennedy by Kim Kennedy
“Josie” by Derek Parnell
Several family members & pets
by Shirley Kleinmeyer
“Kayla” by Jane Rudkin
Jack Kendrick by Emma Kendrick
Norman Kincaid by Shelly Kincaid
Reginald S Kingston by Edith Perry
Bill Klassen by Sandra & Lloyd Smith
Tammy Lynne Kobylka
by A.R.Williams Company
Ted Kostash by Emily Ochotsky
Sharon Laurin by Jean Webb
Michaylina Marshall
by Sierra Systems Group
Ronald Martin by Thomas Dirkse
Lois McLean by Janice Krull
“Mishka” & “Chelsea” by Tina Lokstadt
Emma Mittelstadt by Marlene Lede
John W Nicholson
by Coralie & Sandy Lundberg
Virginia Osness by Cougar Klug
“Pepper” by Brent Hudak
Tayler Rae Poitras-Tietge
by Emily Ochotsky
Wayne & Verleen Poole by Christine Wade
“Quinn” & “KC” by Joshua Kesselman
“Rambet”, “Beaner”, “Tigger”, & “Therman”
by Ross & Antoinette Bennett
Jack Rasmuson by Darren Brooks
“Rex” & “Motley” by Susanne Shewchuk
Inge Riesle by Diana Kovacs,
Ardith Bennett, Michael Kovacs
“Riley” by Jennifer vander Helm
Laurel Rutschke by Agnes McKain
“Seana” by Shaun Aitken
Shawna by Patricia & Charles Benson
Shawna & Abby
by Patricia & Charles Benson
“Sherriff ” & “Marshall” by Bonnie Isaacson
Paula Simpson by Catharina Vantooren
“Skipper P. Smithies” by Rose Marie Smithies
Frank Smadis by Hazel Stewart
Jaxon Smith by Cathy Comeau
“Smokey” & “Schultz” by Michelle Heath
“Socks” & “Cocoa” by Wendy Homann
Ray Souliere by Casey Anderson
(PTI Travco Social Club)
Paula Stewart by Dan Purdy
Kay Stilwell by James, Diane, & Jay Zelazo
Patricia Ann Storms by Bonnie-Gaye Polych
Robert Stott by Nancie Kite
“Stubby”, “Bandi”, “Pippi”, “Lady”, & “Petey”
by Gordon & Sylvia Hougestol
“Sunny” by Cheryl Armour
Two ways to
show you care!
Paul Thomson by Bob & Ann Lavoy,
Wallace & Maxine Thomson
“Tippi” & “Emmy”
by Gary & Katherine Battle
David Tomlinson by Sharon Kerr
“Tyler” by Trina Bjornson
Katherine Waring by Kathryn Dale
Morag Wilson by Winners Merchants
“Xena” by Mark Steinhauer
“ Yogi” Dubitz by Tanya Spiller
“Zeke”, “Sophie”, “Boomer”, & “Buffy”
by Kathryn Morrow
Mary Zilinski by Joanne Bestilny
Animal Cruelty and Family Violence booklet reprinted
Thanks to a generous donation
from the Avenue of Nations Rotary
Club, the Alberta SPCA was able
to print and distribute another
run of the popular Animal Cruelty
and Family Violence: A Resource
Book for Albertans. The booklets
were updated and reprinted and
over 2000 copies were distributed
to colleges, libraries, social service
agencies and humane societies
across Alberta.
Avenue of Nations Rotary Club community service officer Emily Ochotsky (centre) and
club president Sherry Dubeta present the cheque to Alberta SPCA’s
Director of Education Tim Battle.
Early Bird
deadline – Feb 21
Early Bird draw –
Feb 29
2008
$85000
in cash prizes
$10000 early bird prize
$25000 grand prize
2 prizes of $5000
5 prizes of $2000
25 prizes of $1000
10 prizes of $500
20,000 tickets printed
Lottery Licence #256774
Final deadline Mar 20;
Final draw Mar 28
Tickets only
$25 ea or $20* ea
(*when buying 3 or
more at one time)
Order your tickets online
at www.albertaspca.org
or call toll free 1-888-802-0780
Draws held at 10806 124 St, Edmonton AB, T5M 0H3
Tickets may only be purchased or sold within Alberta
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(Alberta SPCA) will be held starting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday March 15, 2008 in the Roseberry
Room at the Chateau Louis Hotel and Conference Centre, 11727 Kingsway, Edmonton. All
members are invited to attend. Members in good standing for six months are entitled to vote.
7
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO THE
ALBERTA SPCA, 10806-124 ST., EDMONTON, AB T5M 0H3
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Stories!
It is almost our 50th anniversary
as a province-wide agency and
we would like to hear from you!
Do you have any humourous
anecdotes, or recall any times you
were involved with us helping
animals? Let us know, and
we’ll publish the best stories in
upcoming issues of AnimalKind.