Valentine's Day Save-A-Life program
The other day I received a fax from Animal Alliance of Canada with a Valentine's Day plea and will share with readers the work of this organization.
Founded in 1990, the mandate of Animal Alliance of Canada is to protect all animals and the environment we share. Dedicated professionals have come together with goals to end overt and institutional cruelty to animals and environmental destruction.
For ten years, Animal Alliance has been working to end 'pound seizure', a practice in which lost, stray and abandoned cats and dogs are seized from pounds by registered research facilities. Ontario's Animals for Research Act states specifically that pounds must relinquish animals that they have held for at least 72 hours if they receive a request from a registered facility. These facilities include private and government laboratories, hospitals, universities and schools. When requisitioned under the Research Act, provincial pounds are forced to sell dogs to researchers for a paltry $6.00 and cats for $2.00.
In 1991, Animal Alliance launched 'Project Jessie' as the official program to rescue dogs and cats "at risk" of being sent to research. The program was named after a little dog named Jessie who ended up in the pound due to a broken home. Despite their best efforts Animal Alliance was unable to save her and she ended up in a research laboratory. Project Jessie was created in her memory and the Alliance vowed to help save as many lost and abandoned pets from research as possible. Not an easy task when approximately 1,000 homeless pets a year are legally seized in Ontario. To date, Animal Alliance has rescued over 2,500 cats and dogs from research. They have been able to cut the number of lost pets from going to laboratories in Ontario by about 60% since Project Jessie began. In 1990, 2,203 pets were sold to researchers in Ontario. In 1998 (the latest year for available statistics) 1,289 pets were sold. At the national level 3,244 dogs and 1,803 cats were seized in 1998 from pounds across Canada. Liz White, a founding member, and current director of Animal Alliance says "Project Jessie has saved thousands of cats and dogs from research laboratories, however the program is a "band-aid" solution to a problem that requires a legislative solution". White has spent the past 9 years negotiating with town councils to either ban seizures of homeless pets for research, or agree to allow Animal Alliance to 'adopt' the pets. Many town councils have complied some have not. She wants people to know that currently NO pets in the Greater Toronto Area are being sold for research and that humane societies, branches and affiliates of the Ontario SPCA do NOT and will NOT relinquish any pet for research.
White says "Using animals for research is a very controversial subject and whether people are in favour or opposed, most do not condone using a trusting family pet".
After the Alliance has rescued a cat or dog, the pet is taken directly to a veterinarian to be health checked, vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered. The pet is then placed in a foster home or with a network partner and cared for until a permanent, loving home can be found.
To bring awareness to their work a Valentine's Day Save- A-Life program has been introduced and offers donors the chance to sponsor the rescue of a cat or dog. Each donor receives a Project Jessie information package that includes a certificate of rescue, project literature and a photograph of a rescued cat or dog. The cost is $35.00 for a cat and $50.00 for a dog. Donations can be made in memory of a beloved pet or can be given as a gift to a fellow animal lover in which case, the Alliance will direct the 'rescue package' to the name provided. Donations of food and supplies are always needed and appreciated as are volunteer drivers and foster homes. If you are interested in adopting a Project Jessie pet you can contact:
CAT ADOPTIONS:
416-462-9541 and speak with Liz White
DOG ADOPTIONS:
905-939-2692 and speak with Ann or Peter
Please remember that spaying and neutering companion animals helps reduce the tragic numbers of homeless pets. Wearing current identification tags and being microchipped gives them every possible chance of being reunited with their owners.
For further information about this rescue group, you can call 416-462-9541 or visit their website:
www.AnimalAlliance.ca
