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Opening comments - more at end. Sept. 27, 1989 Mississauga News - page ? Proposal not practical, activists say City Councilors told to go slow on animal foster home sanction By JOHN STEWART Staff Reporter A proposal to sanction foster homes for animals in Mississauga – as long as they house no more than four animals at a time – is not practical, two animal welfare activists told city councillors last week. The City's operations and works committee was presented with an eagerly anticipated report from staff on the controversial issue of animal shelters within the municipality. The report was prompted by the issue of the Burnhamthorpe cat shelter operated by Lois Stevens, which will be forced to close by a council decision to remove the Stevenses from the city owned Bird estate along the Credit river. The report concluded that animal shelters should be allowed in the city as long as they conform to the maximum four-animal limit established in the animal control bylaw. It also said the city should encourage the South Peel branch of the Ontario Humane Society (OHS) to re-establish a large animal shelter here. The shelter, in turn, would work with the smaller foster homes. Betty Hurson of Avonbridge Rd., a longtime animal welfare proponent, said no public shelter can possibly compete with a well-run private shelter, such as the one run by Stevens. She pointed out that shelters in several other municipalities actually send cats to the Stevenses for rehabilitation and socialization. Hurson also objected to the fact that, while several groups interested in animals were asked for input on the report, none of the people running private shelters were consulted. Running a good private shelter is a time-consuming and expensive project that requires a great deal of commitment, she said. There is no reason that an exemplary shelter, such as the Stevenses', which is located away from residential development and is not bothering anyone, should be against the law, argued Hurson. She was supported by Mississauga veterinarian Dr. Kenneth Easton, the vice-president of the South Peel branch of the OHS. He agreed that few citizens would be willing to put the type of effort that is already provided by Stevens into shelters for cats, by Peg Harrison for wild animals, and by Bernice Inman for birds. "By having a restriction to four animals you are automatically limiting the unique expertise of these people unless you grant them an exemption," Easton said. He suggested a series of large shelters, perhaps one in each ward, would be more appropriate. "If you short-sightedly consider a limitation of four animals, then I do suggest you are cutting off very, very valuable expertise that no public institution can do without." Ward 6 councillor David Culham asked City staff if the restriction to four animals would mean that "the City would go in and close the private shelters," including the internationally famous Winding Lane Bird Sanctuary, founded by Roy Ivory. City manager Doug Lychak replied, "We will enforce all the bylaws as we are required to do." Culham replied that "council should be aware that's what you're dealing with." Information provided later in the meeting suggested that the Ivor sanctuary, now operated by Bernice Inman, may be exempt from the animal control bylaw because it was in existence prior to passage of the bylaw. Mayor Hazel McCallion said councillors must separate the issue of the Burnhamthorpe cat shelter from the policy of private shelters. She said she was pleased that the OHS plans to re-establish a shelter here, although it appears clear now that it will not be available by the end of the year as originally hoped. The mayor suggested that those directly involved in private sheltering should be consulted before the policy is taken to the public for consideration. She agreed with Ward 1 councillor Harold Kennedy that many of the existing private shelters are already known and could be quickly brought under the auspices of the OHS. McCallion also said she had received some "nasty" phone calls from residents who had been "sadly misled" about council's position on the Stevenses' shelter. She praised city council for deferring the issue in August at a meeting she could not attend. Culham said he thought the City had always recognized the operation of private shelters, most of which it was well aware of. He said there is a lot more work necessary to research the issue. He also argued that the municipality should consider providing capital funding for the OHS shelter. Councillors agreed to receive the report and ask staff to pursue the establishment of the OHS shelter and a foster home network. PLEEASSE SIGN OUR PETITION It will make a difference! Home Page - Main Table of Contents - Back up a page - Back to Top [COMMENTS BY DON B. - ] |
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