Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-17-91 i °"L`""" y TOWN OF NEWCASTLE RESEARCH.GPA REPORT File # °,; `_N �� � Res. # ���-�• By-Law # STING: General Purpose and Administration Committee DATE: January 7, 1991 REPORT #: PD-17-91 FILE #: SJUCT: SALE OF ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-17-91 be received; 2 . THAT the Town of Newcastle Council confirms its position to sell animals for research in compliance with the provisions of the Animal for Research Act; and 3 . THAT Dr. Deb Stark, Manager, Animal Care Program, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Mr. & Mrs . Powell, Mr. and Mrs . Davis, Ms . Nancy Armstrong, and the Animal Alliance of Canada be advised of Council's decision. 1. BACKGROUND: 1 . 1 At its meeting held on November 26, 1990, Council received correspondence from Mr. & Mrs. Powell of Bowmanville and from Laurie and Fred Davis of Hampton pertaining to the issue of animals for research. Both correspondence were referred to Staff for a subsequent report. . . . 2 REPORT NO. : PD-17-91 PAGE 2 1.2 Correspondence dated November 16, 1990 from Nancy Armstrong was considered by Council at its meeting held on December 10, 1990 and Council also resolves to refer the said correspondence to staff for a subsequent report. All correspondence related to the subject matter are attached to this report. 1. 3 In summary, the individuals are requesting Council not to release any animals from the Town Animal Control Centre for research purposes . 1.4 At the request of Animal Alliance of Canada, Staff met with its representatives who were advised that they should perhaps express their viewpoints to the Committee and Council. 2 . SUMMARY OF LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS 2 . 1 The release of animals for research is governed under the Animals for Research Act. In summary, the Act provides the following options to the municipality in the disposition of animals . a) Return the dog or cat to the Owner. b) Sell the dog or cat as a pet, for hunting or working purposes . c) Sell the dog or cat to the operator of a registered research facility who makes such request. 2 .2 Once a request is received for impounded dogs or cats from a registered research facility in Ontario, the operator of the pound is prohibited from destroying an impounded dog or cat which meets the specifications in the request. The prohibition on killing the animal remains in force except where; . . . 3 59 i REPORT NO. : PD-17-91 PAGE 3 the operator of the pound has satisfied all requests from research facilities, or the previous owner requests in writing that the dog or cat be destroyed, or the dog or cat is ill or injured; or an inspector or veterinarian orders it to be destroyed. 2 .3 The provisions set out in the Animal for Research Act were further stipulated in By-law 87-156 . However, it should be noted that By-law 87-156 only deals with dogs whereby the Animal for Research Act addresses both cats and dogs . Technically speaking, the municipality is under no obligation to release any cat to research unless the municipality's by- law includes cats . 3 . STAFF COMMENTS: 3. 1 The Town of Newcastle Animal Control Centre has been releasing animals for research for years in compliance with the legislation. The established procedures require the Animal Control Officers to exhaust the first two options (see Paragraph 2 . 1) prior to releasing any animal for research. In essence, the Staff will attempt to return the animal to the owner first. It is noted this option is not workable in the case of strayed animals with no identification tags . When the first option fails, Staff will try to have the animal adopted out. Only in the event that the animals are not suitable for adoption or no one is interested in adopting the animal, will the Staff release the animal for research. Where the animal does not fit the need of the research agency, it will be destroyed subject to meeting the conditions as set out in the legislations . . . .4 REPORT NO. : PD-17-91 PAGE 4 3.2 The University of Toronto is the only agency that has been requesting animals from the Town Animal Control Centre. The fee payment as stipulated by Provincial Regulation are: $6 .00 for each dog; and $2 . 00 for each cat. In 1990 (to the end of November) , the Town has released a total of 31 dogs and 52 cats to the University of Toronto. 3 . 3 Staff is of the opinion that we have complied with the requirements set out in the Animal for Research Act and that we have always attempted all options prior to releasing any animals for research. If the Town were to stop releasing animals for research, the Town will be knowingly contravening Provincial Legislation and could be charged. It is therefore prudent that the Town not to alter its existing position of releasing animals for research. If indeed the Legislation is flawed, there are other proper means to address the issue. 3 .4 Aside from the possibility of being charged, there are other implications that may be resulted from not releasing animals for research. Currently, we have arrangement to have the local veterinarians to euthanize the shelter's cats and dogs which are not required for research purposes. These veterinarians may discontinue this practice since there is a real possibility that they may be liable to be charged if the animals that were to be euthanized were denied to be released for research. The end result will mean that the Town Animal Control Shelter, which is now running at about 80% capacity, will be full within a couple of weeks and will not be able to accept any animal. Any expansion to the existing shelter facility to solve the problem cannot be justified based on an action that is contrary to Provincial legislation. . . .5 REPORT NO. : PD-17-91 PAGE 5 3 . 5 It should be noted that this report does not deal with the moral issue related to the selling of animals for research. The recommendations contained herein are primarily based on the fundamental principle that Provincial Law must be adhered to. Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to t e Committee (3\1 ca",A0, -,- (Jj-) Franklin Wu, M.C. I .P. L rence E otseff Director of Planning Chief Admi i rative and Development Officer FW*jip 19 December 1990 INTERESTED PARTIES TO BE NOTIFIED OF COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE'S DECISION: Mr. W.A. Gonder Animal Industry Branch Ministry of Agriculture and Food 801 Bay Street TORONTO, Ontario M7A 2B2 Mr. & Mrs . Powell 3 Coleman Street BOWMANVILLE, Ontario L1C 1L3 Mr. & Mrs . Davis Group 4, Box 24 R.R. #1 HAMPTON, Ontario LOB 1J0 Ms . Nancy Armstrong 19 Loscombe Drive BOWMANVILLE, Ontario L1C 3S8 Dr. Deb Stark, Manager Animal Care Program Ministry of Agriculture and Food Guelph Agriculture Centre P.O. Box 1030 GUELPH, Ontario N1H 6N1 Mr. Bryan Kozman Animal Alliance of Canada 1640 Bayview Ave. , Suite 1916 TORONTO, Ontario M4G 4E9 j {% % C (_, E-1 COUNCIL DIRECTION D-6 i 3 Coleman St. Bowmanville, Ont. L1C 1L3 90 11 18 Dear Mayor Hubbard and Council., As a concerned resident and taxpayer I am writing to ask you to propose a .potion to stop the sale of animals in your animal control { shelter for research purposes. It is not the job of animal control to betray these lost or unwanted pets by submitting them to the pain that awaits them as research subjects. The issue is not whether there should be animal research, although certainly research scientists could pursue other alternatives as well as use of live animals. The issue is that most citizens do not realize that dogs and cats turned over to or picked up by animal control go to research. As in Oshawa, when citizens were informed many signed petitions and attended the council meeting that resulted in the motion to stop selling animals for research purposes to be passed. I It is up to you to see that residents of Newcastle are informed of the possible fate of their pets, should they end up in animal control and then follow the wishes of the people, which I 'm quite certain will be that this procedure be stopped. I am aware of the Animals For Research Act. There is communication currently going on between Elmer Buchanan, Minister of Agriculture and Food and animal riczts groups to amend this act. ' 9 Please follow the courageous move of the Oshawa City Council and pass a motion to stop this betrayal of lost and stray pets . I realize there would be fewer animals at animal control if all residents were responsible pet owners but that is the fault of humans . Don't punish our pets - they're innocent. People need to be educated to be responsible but that is a whole other issue to be discussed. I also realize that animals not claimed or adopted are euthanized. Hopefully this is done as humanly as possible, not the painful way in which a research victim generally dies . I urge you to address this matter immediately. Sincerely, !'�= H. Powell, K. Powell J. Powell I� IL TYPED AS WRITTEN. I� f� 1� 599 � �' COUNCIL IRECT ON D-9 NOV �9 199Q TOWN OF NEWCASTLE /v o O- 19� 19 q O 13(:,,)A-g,&AY0K F8CE � r(l E to 6 c S c> p T14 To.2�r,3 c,LL � 4d 1 oW iA +fie. © s Q-,,c3 v"nc,� t s c�Q c i sion V-n s �� set\d ,;�.� 1-he animals fro,-n +kz, o t�Ka-u,,a_ Pocam.r\ rv-s e.ar c)N L,=�e. U er-j h'\uc_k 1 i k e. 4-o -�-k e, o a^v 1 Q- cl o3 p o ,,,N d 4 a.k-t- s c,,,c k a c} m. a_ �e t- tJ,� e_ arm r--R- S a r cJ. -�'a c:� e-S 5:� rl. a S e, c.t n i U�!-S+'-F-Y o f GJ h i -- b f 1 A jai a,,,\d P�'c��ar�►�� ( aid nom osr,a.,s a.' ha0e. b 44 l-s E 1��I &exd :5 e/r\ &rid /2c�1.-54, I a s 4 s e, u . S, h &o e- 4e +a l Y e, M ,n a.+e.d Ck i.,� Pow an,n a l-s for res�arc,t. 7 e ,r- r-e,5e0.ro A S Pe,+ owners r one, of o r- b tmzs+ 44\:,- one_. c-�- 0 y- 'Z�.r\ i m a, i S c o cL�d grid ta,o a AAve, P w- i d a,,\C b,,z- S v-r-.A- -Co - i ! o-f- o�-,K (oe_4-s wQar collars w,-, 44, J-A'-Q-4r b c.,,--t- a,c.L\d4,v4-s /\d..ppcn 7 e �/ dr - n o 4- a,\\ o,,3-ud - o r -e. � b u+ i o r, o-4: -NL-in d i J m 3nn, +o q4 c, 4 4 -e, c.e�1 t ar (o,- 4--4q) c-ck,ij _ c c> F fj d ese r i 194; • , o4 - 1, an m ,-I m d -I z ar�d 41\e-, p-L- - ccv,l of gore L-e. r T'h ,A Js CIO �,o.-� - 1 f o(( co(,, Id )'_o e. A 0 v,-, a+-k,-- s o a ricl 5 c.h -d a-1 v- r'4 4--(� b-e. b ro u. i\4- c a-4 y o"-r �Ctwn) Cotxn7c.�� Y✓10ET��G /�� GJ ak Id �� U erg m(c� � � yam . C� � � �� NOV 20 1990 TOWN OF MEM"AsnE A)oul 19 1 � 9 C-► PLANNING DEPARTLAFNT_j 6 6 C7 TT c vic�l K-4q c, -o cc j v- b fe,�S Ira, ci o i.e.rX % 4-L; A- S4 f) b L� A--s, b i 44Q- and -(�-i le-tids pk U- s 4-o I ;o) 'e r c a cl 4- In 44,f,_ Lf s il ed us/'/) t+ c + a, c t . n n cj � ek J-A&A- ow- ld o V o 59 / jai WUNUIL DU<hA.11UN ,J-U C.-rA Nov 28 1990 tOWN OF NEWCASTLE MAYOR'S OFFICE i Y Cusp lul'�� i cif 3. `�t '�C� ��- c �-`-�F��LL�.��Ci�l� � ��LU-1�.��' .��•c� Cam- �SLL�1�L�.La'.`�. LY� �11''iLli"�as�S,.`�,J C- �-�-`�" ca �v G �� ..• ��� Ctf�.� �`��-� ��L�� � 1����:C�f�j t�"t.�.r,� h��.�L r t���tiq �q���iC d - I 599 SI f z.- - - - _ r1�'-<ti� �e-''tea!—�' -D 1-7 12/14/40 09:56 $416 443 9982 U.H.B.A, yii NEWCASTLE 0002%0x3 DEC k Animal Alliance of Canada 1640 Bayview Ave., Ste. 1916 Toronto, Ontario M40 4E9 P!_ANMKI VITAPLA elf 1 (416) 462-9541 For Immediate Distribution. December 8, 1990 - Mayor Marie Hubbard and City Councillors ) . Town of Newcastle �'. (J" 40 Temperance Street Bowmanville, Ontario L1 C 3A6 Deer Mayor Hubbard and City Councillors: On November 5, 1990 the City of Oshawa joined a growing number of municipalities in Ontario by passing a motion which prohibits the sale of lost and homeless pets to research facilities. On behalf of the Animal Alliance of Canada and as a resident of Bowma,nviile, I would like to request that the Town of Newcastle pass a motion which bans pound seizure in our community. Additionally, I would like to request that the Town ask the provincial government to amend the Animais for Research Act by banning pound seizure. While provincial legislation states that pounds cannot humanely euthanize animals until they have satisfied research requests, many people do not believe that it is a municipality's role to serve as a warehouse for cheap laboratory subjects. It should be our choice to humanely protect our pets. In Oshawa, over 2,500 people signed petitions in support of the ban. As someone who went out and talked to those people about the issue and asked for their support, I can tell you that many of them likely agree with the use of animals in research. It is clear, however, that none of them wanted their pets to end up in a sterile laboratory or a painful and terrifying experiment. The issue is not one of ending animal-based research since there are many alternatives. Rather, the question is whether people's non-human companions should serve as testing models, teaching tools or research subjects in working with several animal protection groups on the Oshawa issue we found out that Oshawa had sold 625 dogs and 107 rats to researchers since 1965. it is our understanding, however� that the Town of Newcastle has sold more animals for experimentation than Oshawa. If this is the case, I would like to know the exact numbers, broken down, if possible, on a yearly basis. 599 ) J