Opinion Articles
Click on the links below to read advocacy letters written by Tim Trow, President of The Toronto Humane Society.
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Carriage horse industry cruelty continues in New York City
The Coalition to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages recently published a photo taken during a 2008 Valentines Day protest against the carriage horse industry, in which carriage horse drivers decided to stage their own protest by using a beautiful carriage horse as a living "billboard". After seeing the photo, THS President Tim Trow continues his fight for the carriage horses by contacting NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg pleading for his support to finally put a halt to this inhumane industry.
PetSmart Inc. continues sale of small pets and birds
Although PetSmart Inc. do not sell larger pets such as cats and dogs, they continue to sell smaller pets such as hamsters, gerbils, reptiles, as well as birds. Many of these animals end up at the THS after their owners can no longer care for them.
As PetSmart Inc. in the US has begun considering halting the sale of such small pets and birds, Toronto Humane Society president Tim Trow urges PetSmart Canada to follow suit and stop the sale of ALL animals. Below read Tim's letter to PetSmart Canada, as well as their response in the matter.
Hippopotamus in crate dies after trip to Calgary zoo
In October od 2008, "Hazina" a six year old Hippo died less than one day after a 28 hour transfer from Denver to the Calgary Zoo. After an examination, it was found that the hippo had been lying in a bad position on her legs for the entire trip, which likely caused complications leading to death.
Toronto Humane Society President Tim Trow wrote a letter to Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier calling for action in the form of an independant investigation outside of that being performed by the zoo.
MARS Inc. Animal Testing
Whilst it's competitors and countless other companies in the food industry have cancelled all animal testing of any kind, Mars Inc. (makers of Mars Bars, Twix, and M&M's) continue with their cruel and outdated testing on animals such as mice and rats. THS President Tim Trow has written a letter of protest to Mars asking for a halt on animal testing.
Below you will also find a link to a pre-written letter by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) you can send yourself to get involved and urge Mars to stop this horrible practice. To find out more you can also visit PETA's anti-Mars web site www.marscandykills.com
Japanese Whaling
As the whaling industry in Japan continues, oceans are becoming depleted, and the future of these giant gentle sea creatures is at risk. Toronto Humane Society President Tim Trow has written this letter to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, urging him to stop the whale hunt.
Shooting of Horses
After hearing about the shooting of three wild horses in Alberta, Toronto Humane Society President Tim Trow writes to Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, urging him to protect these animals from harm. Read his letter, and Premier Stelmach's response, below.
Canada and Deep Sea Bottom-Trawling
Known as bottom-trawling, fishing fleets often use heavy trawls which are dragged across the ocean floor, destroying coral and other ecosystems. Conservation groups have lobbied hard in recent years for a global moratorium. An attempt to get a moratorium adopted, at the UN General Assembly in November 2006, failed.
Read THS President Tim Trow's letter to the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans, demanding an end to Canada's participation in this ecologically-unfriendly practice.
Hunting Moose in Quebec
The use of helicopters by wealthy hunters in Quebec to stalk moose is inhumane. Read THS President Tim Tow's letter of protest to M. Charest, Premier of Quebec, below.
Farming of Bear Bile
There are currently 167 bear farms across China housing an estimated 9000 bears, with a further 4000 in Vietnam and 2000 in South Korea. The bile drained from these bears is part of an estimated $100 million annual global black market trade in bear galls and bile products, despite the trade being illegal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Read THS President Tim Tow's letter of protest to the Chinese President Hu Jintao, below.
Cowtown Rodeo, New Jersey
Every year the New Jersey hosts the Cowtown Rodeo with events such as barrel racing horses, calf roping, bull riding, steer wrestling and team roping. Red Tim Trow's letter of protest for this cruel event below.
Adopt-a-thons
Open Your Heart Adopt-a-thon
The hard work and dedication of The Toronto Humane Society staff members and volunteers made the Adopt-A-Thon of August 18-20 extremely successful for the animals. Read THS president Tim Trow's letter of congratulation below.
Smirnoff Ad Campaign
In May, 2005, Toronto Humane Society President Tim Trow wrote to Smirnoff complaining about an ad campaign of theirs which featured a man using a bull whip on a team of dogs. Read Mr. Trow's continuing letters urging Smirnoff to pull this type of advertisement below.
Calgary Stampede
Two horses died in the 2006 Calgary Stampede after a collision during the July 7 Rangeland Derby. One of the horses suffered a heart attack and the other broke a leg in the ensuing collision. Toronto Humane Society President Tim Trow writes to the Mayor of Calgary, Dave Bronconnier, asking him to put an end to this spectacle. Read a copy of the letter sent to Mayor Bronconnier below.
Midlands SPCA Farmhouse Fire
On August 2, 2006, more than 30 animals were killed in a midnight fire, possibly caused by lightning, that engulfed a century-old farmhouse run by the SPCA just west of Midland, Ontario. Read Toronto Humane Society President Tim Trow's letter of support to Jim Sykes, President and CEO of the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA.
China’s Fur Trade
In response to a report on the BBC World News, Tim Trow writes the President and Premier of the People’s Republic of China and urges them to investigate the barbaric practice of keeping dogs and cats to harvest their fur by skinning them alive.
Canada’s Seal Hunt
Toronto Humane Society President, Tim Trow, has written letters to (former) Prime Minister Paul Martin and (current) Prime Minister Stephen harper, asking them to put an end to the seal hunt. Read Mr. Trow's letters and the responses from the Prime Minister's office below.
Deer Culling in Ontario's provincial parks
In response to the practice of deer culling and hunting in Ontario's provincial parks, THS President, Tim Trow, writes a letter to the Minister of Natural Resources, David Ramsay, urging his ministry to find a more humane alternative to the cull. Mr. Trow's letter, and the response from the Minister's office, can be seen below.
Horse-drawn Carriages
Toronto Humane Society President, Tim Trow, writes to New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, urging him to ban the services of horse-drawn carriages in the city. The treatment of the horses, and the conditions and dangers they face in a crowded city centre, brought about changes in Toronto's by-laws which efectively banned the practice of horse-drawn carriages in the city. Read Mr. Trow's letter, and the response from Mayor Bloomberg's office, below.
Tim Trow also wrote to Ottawa Mayor, Bob Chiarelli, urging him to ban the services of horse-drawn carriages in the city. Read Mr. Trow's letter, and the response from Mayor Chiarelli's office, below.
The city of Charleston in South Carolina also employs horses to pull carriages through its streets and Mr. Trow has written to its Mayor Joseph P. Riley asking that the practice cease. Read Tim Tow's letter to mayor Riley below.
The above practice also takes place in a city named Chania, in Greece. Similar letters urging an end to horse-drawn carriages have been sent to Mayor Kiriakos Virvidakis of Chania. See below.
Bergeron Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Picton
Following a decision by Prince Edward County Council officials to no longer support zoning changes for the Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Picton, Toronto Sun columnist Peter Worthington writes the following article:
City of Toronto Municipal Pounds
I do not understand how you can say that it is appropriate that such a limited number of wild animals or birds dealt with by Toronto Animal Services survive to be released or rehabilitated.
Insourcing animal shelter by the City of Toronto has failed. Toronto Animal Services admits only 40% of the lost and abandoned dogs and cats in Toronto. Of those, it “kills almost half," said Society President, Tim Trow.
THS meets expectations
Dear Minister Kwinter: At this time, I would like to report to you that we have lived up to your expectations of us.
New Orleans animals
"I am at a loss to understand why you would apparently deprive animals of new homes in a fine new City," said Society President, Tim Trow.
Letter to the Premiere about Pit bull puppies
The Toronto Humane Society is outraged that Pit bull puppies will be taken from their nursing mothers and destroyed. Ontario’s Pit bull legislation allows for this cruelty in its purest form.
The Toronto Humane Society is concerned about the effect on the wild animals and birds living in the Don Valley Brick Works of the additional 1/4 million people Evergreen will attract to the preserve.
We feel the greatly increased traffic may diminish this area which is unique in Toronto as a home and refuge for wild animals and birds.
- Evergreen: Response from Geoff Cape, Executive Director, Evergreen - Aug 26, 2005
- Evergreen: Letter to David Miller, Mayor of the City of Toronto - Sept 22, 2005
- Evergreen: Response from David Miller, Mayor of the City of Toronto - Oct 5, 2005
- Evergreen: Letter to Mr. O'Brien, Executive Director, Evergreen - Sept 22, 2005
- Evergreen: Letter to Ms. Miller, Constituency Assistant, - November 17, 2005
- Evergreen: Letter to Mr. O'Brien, Conservation Authority, - Nov 17, 2005
- Evergreen: Response from Geoff Cape, Executive Director, Evergreen - Dec 19 , 2005
- Evergreen: Response from Dick O'brien, Conservation Chair, - Dec 22 , 2005
- Evergreen: Letter to Geoff Cape, Executive Director, Evergreen - Jan 6, 2006
- Evergreen: Response from Dick O'brien, Conservation Chair, - Dec 22 , 2005
- Toronto Sun: Newspaper article, by Peter Worthington - Feb 12, 2006
- Evergreen: Letter to David Miller, Mayor of the City of Toronto - February 27, 2006
- Letter from Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport - May 03, 2007
Related Articles:
Board of Health
Aggressively targeting pet owners with licensing fees and large fines will not address concerns with Toronto Animal Services and will lead to increased numbers of abandoned pets. The Toronto Humane Society urges the Board of Health to reconsider this proposal and reevaluate the City of Toronto’s adoption policies and practices, as executed by Toronto Animal Services.
Welfare of Farm Animals
Tim Trow receives a letter of response from Leona Dombrowsky. Mr. Trow offered his serious concerns over the way farm animals are housed and treated in this country.
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