Humane Society Reminds Pet Owners to Prepare for Disaster

With Hurricane Earl about to make landfall, and after a week of remembering Hurricane Katrina’s devastation 5 years ago, the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society reminds all pet caregivers about the importance of being prepared for a disaster or emergency situation.  Planning ahead is the key to keeping yourself and your pets safe if disaster strikes. 

The following tips will help to keep pet owners and their pets safe and together:

1. Microchip your pets.  Microchip identification is one of the best ways to ensure that you and your pet are reunited if you are separated. Be sure to keep the microchip registration up-to-date, and include at least one emergency number of a friend or relative who resides out of your immediate area.  The Humane Society is offering a microchip clinic at our Walk-A-Thon on September 19, and most area vets also offer this service.

2. Keep a collar and tag on all cats and dogs.  Keep several current phone numbers on your animal’s identification tag. Identification on indoor-only cats is especially important. If your home is damaged during a disaster, they could easily escape.

3. Plan a pet-friendly place to stay. Search in advance for out-of-area pet-friendly hotels or boarding facilities, or make a housing exchange agreement with an out-of-area friend or relative. Never leave your pet behind if you evacuate!

4. Use the buddy system. Exchange pet information, evacuation plans and house keys with a few trusted neighbours or nearby friends. If you’re caught outside evacuation lines when an evacuation order is issued, your neighbours or friends can evacuate your pets for you.

5. Prepare an emergency kit for each animal.  Stock up on the items you may need during a disaster now so you do not get caught unprepared. Store your disaster kit supplies in an easy-to-grab container. Items should include a one-week supply of food, one-week supply of fresh water, medications that your pet is taking, copies of vaccination records, photographs of you with your pets to prove ownership or make "lost pet" fliers, a pet first aid kit, toys to comfort your animal, and a carrier or leash for each animal.

6. Place an emergency decal on your front window or door.  If disaster strikes while you are not home, this decal will alert rescuers of the animals inside. Decals are available at the Humane Society. 

Monarch Office Basics Parking Lot Sale & BBQ

Thank you to Troy & Todd Palcit, owners of Monarch Office Basics just down the road from the Humane Society, for making us their charity of choice when holding their annual parking lot sale the weekend of August 21/22. Troy and Todd, in addition to making a monetary donation, purchased hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and refreshments. Humane Society volunteers then manned the grill and customers made a donation for the purchase of these goodies. Overall, we raised close to $600 at the event.

Thanks also to all of the volunteers who were on hand to help during the inclement weather: Linda Palcit, Linda Pomainville, Ashley Crow, Kate Haddad, Marc Jones, Carolynn Hudson, Barb Sparkes, Juhanna Wheeler, and Sue Miller.

Pictured in the photo here are Linda Palcit (left), Ashley Crow and Sammy.

Shoppers Drug Mart Hawaiian Gala

It was a steamy night at the Hawaiian Gala Shoppers Drug Mart on Dougall (near Cabana) held to benefit the Humane Society on August 12. Funds were raised through the pre-sale of tickets to the event, through donations, and through a barbecue (in 90F plus weather). Thank you to Sandra and Linda from Shoppers Drug Mart for coordinating such a successful event, and to Humane Society volunteers Aimee Trottier, Sandy Mailloux and Barb Sparkes who helped showcase some of our adoptable animals (congratulations to Skyler on his new adoption!) and manned the BBQ.

It's no wonder Skyler found a new home at this event. Talk about laid back!

In photo at right, volunteer Aimee Trottier spends some time with Dagwood (who has also found his new home!).

Poker Run

For the past seven years D’Arcy Leader, from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 143, has hosted the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society Poker Run. Many riders have been with it since the beginning and, throughout these years, have seen rainy days and still had the ‘pack’ on the road showing their support for this completely volunteer and non-funded organization.

This year’s event - held on Sunday, August 22, 2010 in memory of Stan Kuron, was sponsored by Brews & Cues, Lone Wolf Clubhouse, Meadows, Dairy Freeze and the Royal Canadian Legion, Br. 143, along with the 103 registered riders. The affair was a huge success and a lot of fun was had by all. This would not have been possible if not for the remarkable riders. The group raised $1,592 for the WECHS but, more importantly, they raised awareness for the plight of the homeless animals we have in our community.

In their first stop at the Humane Society, Eddie (one of our three cat mascots) greeted the many bikers, who saw for the first time, the newly-expanded shelter that neatly housed the many strays inside. At the end of the three checkpoint route, riders returned to the R.C. Legion, Br 143 to enjoy a traditional hamburger and hot dog meal, culminating with WECHS Julie Bortolotti and D’Arcy Leader doing closing announcements, awarding door prizes - including the top poker hands - and drawing the 50/50 raffle.

A special drawing included a beautiful Harley-Davidson wall monument made of cement donated by a friend of Martin Hlozan and Cheryl Paquette, which was thankfully won by Karen McCabe.

The top poker hands ran a tie leaving Willy Milligan to draw the low card; therefore claiming the runner-up prize. In conclusion of the prizes, the 50/50 cash award went to our very own Yvette Comartin.

The Windsor/Essex County Humane Society would personally like to extend its gratitude to D'Arcy Leader and Mike Bechard (Lone Wolf Clubhouse) for all of the planning and seamless execution of the event. And, to all who rode, thank you for spending your day helping to raise funds for the homeless animals in our community. We hope to see everyone again in 2011.

In the photo, a few of the participants from the 7th Annual Poker Run in Memory of Stan Kuron.

Sad Day for OSPCA

Today is a sad day for animals in need.

Yesterday the Ontario Crown Attorney’s office decided to drop the charges stemming from the Ontario SPCA’s lengthy investigation into animal cruelty at the Toronto Humane Society. The Crown’s office has claimed that they were concerned the Charter rights of those accused - all former senior managers at the THS - were violated as a result of technical issues with the search warrant.

Before today, the Crown would not share what those concerns were.  A judge approved the search warrant, and another judge extended it. If there were problems, we would have expected the judges to address them.

Right now, there are volumes of evidence that support the original charges sitting in a secure location collected during the search warrant period.  The Crown Attorney’s office has not reviewed this evidence at all. This evidence documents abuse and neglect of defenceless animals.  According to today’s decision, this evidence will never be tested in a court of law. This decision goes against everything Ontarians have been taught about our system of justice -- that the strength of the evidence and witness testimony will form the foundation of guilt or innocence.  Not the whims of a lawyer.

The OSPCA is calling on Attorney General Chris Bentley to review this decision made by the Toronto Crown Attorney’s office. The public needs to have faith that alleged animal abusers will answer to a court of law when evidence is collected suggesting they committed offences. Today, our faith in the justice system has been severely shaken.

To all those Ontarians who feel the same way, we urge you to contact your MPP and let them know you want justice to be served on those who allegedly abuse animals.  A list of Ontario MPP's and their contact information can be found on the Ontario SPCA website at www.ontariospca.ca.

Finally, we want to stress that the Ontario SPCA was compelled to act on the allegations of animal abuse at THS. Many veterinarians and staff members, at great risk to their careers, came forward with troubling stories and evidence. Doing nothing was not an option. The OSPCA followed the legal process. They followed the rules and regulations that govern their authority. They did their job. But at the end of the day, it’s up to the Crown Attorney to prosecute these charges. 

It is a sad day for animals in need.  As of today, nobody will be held responsible for the pain and suffering they endured at the THS.  Pain and suffering that is well documented.

You can read about it in affidavits filed in support of the search warrant on the Ontario SPCA website - www.ontariospca.ca. You can also see it in the photos on the web site, along with a list of Ontario's MPP's and their contact information.

Please help to achieve justice for the animals.