Animal Justice has been granted intervener status in a case challenging the removal of anti-Canada Goose ads from Toronto transit shelters. The case could have broad implications for animals, and will decide whether animal advocates have the right to advertise on city property, or whether municipalities can discriminate against groups and individuals that speak up… Read more » Animal Justice
Live Giant Lobster Dismembered on Video at Toronto Restaurant, Animal Justice Calls for Cruelty Charges
TORONTO – National animal law organization Animal Justice filed a legal complaint with the Ontario SPCA after a disturbing video surfaced online, depicting the dismemberment of a live, giant lobster at Toronto restaurant lbs.
The gruesome video was first posted on the Facebook page for the website Eater.com in early May, 2017, as part of a promotional piece showcasing seafood restaurants. It shows the lobster being dismembered, piece by piece, by two individuals at lbs restaurant. The chefs restrain the lobster, forcefully ripping out his front right claw, front left claw, and then ripping his tail off of his abdomen. All the while, the lobster continues to move his legs and tail, indicating that he is still conscious, aware, and suffering throughout the brutal dismemberment. The individuals involved appear to be the owner and executive chef of lbs restaurant.
Lobsters and other crustaceans are protected by criminal animal cruelty laws and provincial legislation. Scientific research has confirmed that lobsters experience pain and can suffer. Dismembering a lobster results in prolonged death and suffering as nerve ganglia located throughout their bodies can continue to function and transmit pain signals during dismemberment.
“Dismembering a live lobster is blatant animal cruelty and lbs restaurant should be prosecuted for this horrific abuse,” said Camille Labchuk, a lawyer and executive director Animal Justice. “Lobsters feel pain, and our laws must protect them from the worst forms of suffering. No animal should die through dismemberment, and authorities must take swift action to ensure lbs does not dismember more lobsters.”
Toronto animal advocate Len Goldberg first discovered that the dismemberment took place at lbs restaurant and shared the video widely online. This prompted people to flood lbs’ online review pages with negative ratings. Lbs has since suspended its own Facebook page, and the video was deleted by Eater earlier this week.
The animal advocacy group Anonymous for the Voiceless will protest outside lbs restaurant, 100 Yonge Street, Toronto, on Saturday, May 20 from 7 – 9 pm. Media are welcome to attend.
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Copies of the legal complaint are available upon request.
For more information, contact:
Camille Labchuk
Executive Director
camille@animaljustice.ca
613-292-8360
Len Goldberg
Anonymous for the Voiceless Spokesperson
613-793-7959
Animal Justice
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Action Alert: Toronto Exotic Animal & Mobile Zoo Consultation
The City of Toronto just opened a public consultation to help decide how to regulate exotic animals and traveling zoos. It’s time to have your say! This is a rare opportunity for Toronto residents to help shut down the cruel exotic pet trade and stop travelling zoos from operating inside city limits.
Tragically, Ontario has the fewest legal protections for exotic animals of any province in the country. The only animals that cannot be owned in Ontario are orcas and pit bulls, leaving other animals vulnerable to suffering and exploitation by the billion-dollar exotic pet and the zoo industries. Ontario’s failure to protect exotic animals has forced cities like Toronto to pick up the slack, which is why this consultation is so important. A strong set of bylaws in Toronto could encourage other municipalities to do the same.
Right now, Toronto has a list of prohibited animals, but the list needs to be strengthened to protect more wild animals from becoming victims of the pet trade. Also, dozens of traveling zoos are currently operating in the city, trucking prohibited exotic animals all over the city to birthday parties, seniors homes, and other events.
Wondering how to participate in the consultation? There’s two easy ways: online or in person!
- 1. Fill out this online survey before noon on May 5 (see our recommendations below).
2. Attend one of two in-person public consultations. Meeting # 1 is on April 28, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. Meeting #2 is on May 1, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. For more details, see this link.
Recommendations
Animal Justice recommends that instead of having a long list of prohibited animals, Toronto should create a shorter list of permitted animals (also known as a “positive list”). Positive lists have the advantages of simplicity and clarity, and generally do a better job of protecting vulnerable animals from exploitation by the pet trade. Ideally, we recommend that only domesticated animals whose welfare does not suffer in captivity be permitted in Toronto, and that animals on the list must not pose a risk to public safety. Wild animals belong in the wild, and must not be permitted to become part of the exotic pet trade, which is responsible for significant suffering and mortality regardless of whether animals are captive-bred or wild-caught.
Animal Justice also recommends that traveling zoos must not be permitted to operate within the city. Traveling zoos cause stress and suffering to animals, forcing timid and sensitive animals to submit to human touching and contact. Animal-borne diseases may be transmitted, animals may bite or otherwise react, and they risk escaping. Guests are often invited to interact with dangerous animals like snakes and venomous reptiles. The risks are real: In one recent incident, a tarantula with a Toronto-based traveling zoo shot microscopic barbs into the eye of a three-year old child, which could not be removed. Traveling zoos put both animals and the public at risk.
Further Resources
Zoocheck: A “Positive List” Approach to Exotic Pet Regulation
Mark Bekoff: The Exotic Pet Trade: Horrific Global Animal Abuse and an Assault on Sentience
PETA: Inside the Exotic Animal Trade
Canadian Press: Rise of mobile zoos raising concerns about health and safety
PETA: Traveling Zoos and Petting Zoos
Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / NEAVS
Animal Justice
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Carjacking suspect guns down three police officers in Chicago police station shoot out
A carjacking suspect who had already been arrested shot three Chicago police officers as they attempted to escort him into custody on Thursday morning, authorities said.The gunman was being taken out of a patrol van and walked into Northwest Side police station at around 9.30am when he opened fire, hitting the officers.
Animal and Pet News -
Rico
Hello SCARS, We adopted our good boy Rico from you in June 2013. He was one of four puppies that were found and rescued from a dump. Our Belgian Malinois took to him right away and showed him how to ‘dog’ cause Rico was very shy and sensitive. It took Rico about a year
The post Rico appeared first on Second Chance Animal Rescue Society.
Second Chance Animal Rescue Society -
Michael Bloomberg robbed the DNC
We now know how much the going rate is for a spot at the Democratic National Convention. Michael Bloomberg spoke for five minutes on Thursday night not long before the nominee itself, a role arguably more prominent than that of Bernie Sanders, the much-abused runner-up.The former New York mayor's remarks were exactly what you would expect. He began by pointing out that he is not a Democrat. He gloated about the vast amounts of money he has given to buy politicians in all parties. He quoted a children's book. He talked about the importance of experts, like the ones he deferred to when he doubled down on the brutal policing tactics that have been the subject of protests across the country. He even said "hell" twice.The best part is that he didn't even have to pay for it. Bloomberg reneged on his promise back in March to keep the thousands of paid staff members who carried him to his towering victory in the 2020 American Samoa Democratic primary onboard until the general election. He has given a whopping $18 million to the party itself and just over $4 million to other grassroots organizations this year. He also offered them some useless free office space during the lockdown.At least President Trump was watching. > After the worst debate performance in the history of politics, Michael Bloomberg, commonly known as Mini Mike, is trying to make a comeback by begging the Democrats for relevance. They treated him like a dog - and always will. Before politics, he said GREAT things about me!> > -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2020More stories from theweek.com The DNC's stirring eulogy for Joe Biden Lori Loughlin sentenced to 2 months in prison for role in college admissions scandal Trump initially responds to Biden's acceptance speech with brevity and correct grammar
Animal and Pet News -
Exporting Cruelty: Canada’s Live Animal Export Trade
This article is written by Factory Farm Collective and originally posted on their website. Visit factoryfarmcollective.ca for more great content. Earlier this year, the Guardian examined the global live export trade and found that, based on 2017 FAO data, Canada was the 3rd top exporter of farmed animals in the world. While campaigns to ban live exports exist in... Read more » Animal Justice
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Apply to join the SCARS’ board of directors!
Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) Board of Directors has a vacant Director-at-Large position. If you are committed to the SCARS mandate, have board experience and/or extensive committee experience, can work collaboratively, attend monthly meetings and be responsible for tasks outside board meetings, SCARS would like to hear from you. In your application, please
The post Apply to join the SCARS’ board of directors! appeared first on Second Chance Animal Rescue Society.
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