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The march for The Companion Animal Welfare Reform is on Friday, December 10, 2010 in front of the Quebec Government in Quebec City. The importance of this march is to let the Government know that the citizens of this province refuse to accept the ongoing treatment of animals under their unjust laws. We, the people, object to the continuous atrocities being overlooked by the Government and, presently, still occurring to all animals. Furthermore, to date, the Government continues to fund the massacre and torture of animals.
I sometimes feel people do not care enough or are just waiting for other people to do the job for them. Unfortunately, I can say that here in Montreal a lot of people suffer from moral schizophrenia. Moral Schizophrenia: confused and incoherent ideas about animals.
I have heard people adore and praise their puppies or kittens. Since I sense that the person really cares for the welfare of animals, I ask if he/she would help out by signing a petition, sending a letter or participating in a march by standing up, by being counted and by renouncing cruelty to animals.
To my discouragement, I get a “NO” as an answer. Some people fear who will see their names and addresses on the petition. Some, to my dismay show little to no interest because to them, well, “these are just animals”. Some are just too busy or just too lazy to stand up for animal welfare. Yet they have the audacity to say “I love animals.” Anyone making such a statement should not be afraid to stand up for their rights. These animals are continually subjected to a horrible death in gas chambers in Canada. Our taxes pay for animals to suffer and agonize just because as a society, we cannot make one loud statement to our Government that we do not agree with them! Some people, even reading this now, are not aware that these atrocities s are actually even happening. “Never forget public ignorance is the government’s best friend.“
I believe at this moment animals need more of our actions and less of our words. I am tired of hearing people telling me, “Please don’t tell me what’s going on – it makes me sick just to think of it.” People tend to forget that these poor animals are dying in these hideous contraptions called gas chambers. Since so many people have complained to me that the images that I want to show are too graphic and hideous, I will add the description made by Nicole Joncas when a protest rally at the dog pound of St-Lin, Saint -Lin-Laurentides, Quebec took place on May 2, 2009:
“Everyday dogs and cats are killed in the unsupervised dog pounds across the nation. While the dogs are put in loose, the cats are stuffed into cat carriers. The dogs are put into the gas chamber with a long pole and a choker around their necks. The dogs are petrified as they are being swung into the chamber. They cry begging for help. No one is listening. They walk around looking for a way out. They go towards the door where they were put into the chamber.
Suddenly, they hear a hissing sound. They look around hoping that someone is coming to take them home. The dogs struggle to stay standing. They go down. They empty their bowels and their bladders. They gasp for breath as the gas is entering their lungs. Ten to fifteen minutes later the dogs are no longer moving. There’s no more crying, no groaning, no gasping. It’s silent in the chamber. The killer gas has done its ghastly job. After some time, the one whom put them into gas chamber begins to drag their lifeless bodies into the refrigerated container. They are piled one on top of the other. The refrigerator door is closed.”
Joncas continues, “The following day, when the refrigerator door is opened to bring in the new victims, some dogs who had been gassed the day before are seen wagging their tails. These dogs are then put into the incinerator. If they did not die in the gas chamber, and they did not die in the refrigerated container, WERE THEY DEAD WHEN THEY WERE PLACED IN THE INCINERATOR? Animaquebec who is mandated to oversee these pounds, has again greatly failed the animals of Quebec. Anyone off the streets can get the job of killing animals in the gas chamber. He’s told how to shove them in and how to push the buttons. There is no veterinarian to certify that the animals are dead.”
A picture can tell a thousand words, yet Joncas’ words can create a vivid mental picture of this tragic reality. According to John Sorenson, professor of sociology at Brock University, Canadian Humane Societies refuse to disclose the actual number of how many animals are killed (1). The report done by the Task Force on companion welfare done in 2009, reported that there were 4,802 dogs and 19,175 cats euthanized in 2008. This number is less than the actual total, as it excludes private animal control companies and veterinary clinics, which also carry out euthanasia (2).
Since not all organizations participated in the report, we will never know how many animals have been actually killed. This information is from 2008. It is already two years old! Why can’t we be up to date with this information? To this day, I am wondering as to why all the existing organizations are not participating in order to create a more humane control of animals? Is there a need to massacre and torture these animals? Do not come to me and say “they are just dogs or cats.” We have to respect all living things. By killing innocent animals that are just victims of our disgraceful lack of common sense, we have just proved that we are a country of no ethical value!
Where is the empathy in us? These animals deserve better than what we can offer them! Even if you don’t like animals, how could you allow such cruelty to endure? I would like to know how people become desensitized from such reality! We are living things! We are not a heterogeneous mixture of species! We are all living and trying to survive to the perils of this violent world. Once you see the cruelty, you cannot ignore the facts and therefore, be oblivious to the reality! Are we, so called humans, incapable to learn to work together in accomplishing the most natural goal in protecting all living things? Have we become so despondent, laidback, and busy with our everyday lives that we just do not have the time to invest towards THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS? I ask you all! I am appalled to think that we humans have managed to let the issue of THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS to reach to this level.
No killing should be the answer. But, if there is no other way to sustain the dogs and need to be put down, then the animals should be euthanized by being injected sodium pentobarbital. Please take a look at the video and DON’T BE A COWARD! FACE REALITY AND AFRONT THE RESULTS OF OUR ACTIONS! WE CAN CHANGE THINGS! WE JUST NEED A BIT OF INITIATIVE!
Liliana Danel
(1) Animal Rights written by John Sorenson. Chapter 7: Pets and Prisoners page 108. About the Humane Society of Ontario, he writes the following:
” Bruce Roney, Ottawa Humane Society executive director says: “We do not talk about the number, it does not mean anything.”
(2) Task Force on Companion Animal Welfare Report, 2009 (avail. upon request)
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