Toronto Sun columnist John Kerr had an amusing take down of The Animal Alliance of Canada over that organization’s targeting of Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources Jerry Ouellette.
Of course they’re unhappy Ouellette is an angler and a hunter. But AAC’s Liz White and Stephen Best, director the AAC’s lobbying branch Environment Voters, also attacked Ouellette in a fund raising letter as “vindictive” and Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers as “goons” and “thugs” for the 2002 shut down of the Ottawa Carlton Wildlife Centre. A total of 34 raccoons and one skunk was seized from the Wildlife Centre.
But according to Kerr,
Although in the heart of racoon-rabies country, the centre’s proprietors had refused to get rid of the animals, as required by law.
This part of eastern Ontario is a high-risk area for raccoon rabies and under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act raccoons and skunks can’t be kept without authorization.
. . .
Indeed, the centre’s seized animals were kept over winter in a ministry quarantine facility, vaccinated against rabies, and released “healthy” into the wild this spring, the ministry stated.
. . .
“Our biggest priority was ensuring these animals didn’t compromise the health and safety of the public, their pets, and other wildlife in the region,” said Dr. Chris Davies, manager of the MNR’s Wildlife Research and Development section.
How dare this Ouellette yahoo give rabies control a high priority. What sort of animal abuser would go to such lengths to stop the spread of a deadly disease? And imagine how much better life would be in Ontario if animal rights activists like White and Best had their way and such disease control was relegated to the dustbin of history where it belongs.
Source:
Animal activists target Ouellette. John Kerr, Toronto Sun, May 22, 2003.