| Letter to the Editor at the Toronto Sun Re: Humane Society Critics Smell Blood – June 9, 2009 |
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Worthington needs to check and update his own facts. In March 2006, eight Ontario SPCA Directors resigned in a very high profile effort to have the organization reviewed by the Provincial Government. After electing a new board in compliance with both the Ontario SPCA Act and the Society's by-laws, the Ontario SPCA's 32 affiliated communities, which are now and have always been legally its voting membership, began a process of organizational reform, which included a provincially mandated and funded independent financial and governance review. All of the recommendations of the provincially mandated report were subsequently implemented by the new board of the Ontario SPCA. The Toronto Humane Society although represented on the Ontario SPCA Board at that time chose to openly deny the need for, or value of, an independent governance review and subsequently withdrew THS's nominee to the Ontario SPCA Board. The Ontario SPCA was a created by provincial law and is directly accountable to the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services. The Toronto Humane Society is not. To suggest that Ontario SPCA members have no say in the election of directors is clearly misleading when the process for nominations is defined by a provincially controlled Society by-law, and is open to all Ontario SPCA voting members. A new Board representing 50 communities from across Ontario was just elected by the members at the Ontario SPCA's annual membership meeting on Saturday June 6, 2009. Mr. Worthington's statement regarding THS's 7% euthanasia "...making it arguably the world's most "humane" humane society," again reflects Mr. Worthington's reliance on only one source of information. Comparing apples to apples with other Societies which do not provide Animal Control services for their municipality (THS does not) would show they are no different than most and higher than some. We are pleased to see voting members of THS expressing their concerns through groups like the Association to Reform THS (ART). Mr. Trow's insistence to the media that decisions on euthanizing sick animals rests solely with the senior veterinarian conflicts completely with statements made to the media by former THS veterinarians. Toronto Animal Services (the City of Toronto) on the other hand have taken a very progressive stance on reducing the number of stray animals euthanized, particularly cats, by updating the adoption practices in its own five shelters. Overpopulation caused by irresponsible pet owners who see cats as disposable pets cannot be blamed on TAS any more than it could have been blamed on THS in the days when it provided "pound" services to the City of Toronto. As a registered charity the Ontario SPCA is required to be independently audited every year, and Annual Charity Returns are submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The Ontario SPCA actually requested the provincial government's assistance in conducting both the independent Financial Review (2005) and Governance Review (2006), and has implemented all of the recommendations. This has been a very healthy and positive process, that has left the Ontario SPCA of 2009 a much more functional and accountable organization in service to Ontario. Jim Sykes About the Ontario SPCA The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA): Protecting
animals since 1873, the Ontario SPCA is a registered charity comprised of over 50 Communities
relying primarily on donations to fund animal protection, care and rehabilitation; advocacy;
and humane education. The Ontario SPCA Act mandates the Society to enforce animal cruelty laws
and provides Society investigators with police powers to do so - making the Ontario SPCA unique
among animal welfare organizations in the province. The Ontario SPCA is a member of the Canadian
Federation of Humane Societies, the World Society for the Protection of Animals, and is affiliated
with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. |