Animal Cruelty is firmly on the election's agenda

The need for legislation to protect domestic animals couldn't have been made any clearer than yesterday's news of Gail Benoit's application to the court to continue selling puppies because it's the way that she earns her living.

She has said under oath in court that she has been selling puppies - and this was in 2009 - for more than 16 years at that time, and in that time had sold more than 30,000 puppies.

During that time she has been charged with animal cruelty several times - and in 2009 was finally convicted of it - along with assault, for the 3rd time - which was the thing that got her some jail time.

Obviously education of the public is not working in regards as to what is the best way to buy our companion animals.  Just like educating the public about the fact that it really is in your best interest to wear a seat belt - it isn't until you legislate it - will people start to do it.

People just can't seem to figure out that it's not okay to go to Kijiji and find a picture of a cute puppy - contact the person selling it - sometimes at a hugely inflated price - and then meet them in a neutral location like a parking lot - and then listen to that person give you a sob story about why that puppy looks like it is only hours away from dying - and you give them a bunch of money, take the puppy home - and it dies right in front of you - and there's nothing you can do.

• We need legislation that doesn't allow people who have been convicted of animal cruelty to buy or sell domestic animals.  Period.
• We need legislation that limits the amount of time that dogs are tethered - and I am going to write a future post about the specifics of that topic.  We do not need to re-invent the wheel on this - legislation has been passed in lots of areas that has workable and enforceable laws.
• We need legislation that doesn't allow pet stores to sell domestic animals - unless they are in association with a rescue organization such as is going on currently with so many pet stores currently here in Nova Scotia, which is absolutely awesome.
• We need legislation that if you are selling domestic animals they must documented veterinary records go with them - so that you know you are getting a healthy animal.
• We need legislation at the provincial level - ie the Animal Cruelty Act - that makes it illegal for municipalities to enact BSL. 

And from this - Breed Specific Legislation - MUST BE REMOVED from the Muncipal Government Act - right now there is a line in the Municipal Government Act that allows municipalities to enact BSL - and that is so wrong - and it needs to be removed immediately.

It currently says  under the dog bylaw section -
(e) defining fierce or dangerous dogs, including defining them by breed, cross-breed, partial breed or type;

That is BSL - and that needs to be removed.  This has long been a bug-a-boo of mine - and it's time that it was addressed.

If you want to get involved and or be informed - you can join the Facebook group "People for Dogs" - they are leading the thrust to get legislation passed that will help domestic animals.

You can also contact your MLA - and talk to all the people who are running for office in the upcoming elections - the NDP have said in  the Crown Speech this week -

"My government will work to better protect animals and 

stiffen penalties for animal abusers." 

Make the NDP do something about what they said in their crown speech - and have them do something to protect the animals that we all love so much - and also make sure that it becomes a very important election issue later this year when they are all begging for our election votes.

This year we can make a big difference for animals.  Let's make sure we do it.

Gail Benoit wants to get back to work

It was a cruel trick of fate for Gail Benoit when proceedings for a murder trial were happening on the same day in the same court as her application - where yesterday she was applying to be able to sell dogs again while she waits to go on trial for fraud.

She wasn't expecting to have every news organization in the province at the court house too see her application - and they weren't expecting to see her there either - it was just a happy coincidence - they were all there for an ongoing murder trial - but it worked out very positively for the people who like to keep track of what's going on with Ms. Benoit because this petition might have gone through unnoticed otherwise - so it all worked out fabulously.

The decision has been put over until next week - and let's hope the condition of her undertaking is not removed - although I don't see long term how we can keep her from performing what her life long chosen vocation has been - Kijiji isn't going anywhere, she's not going anywhere - and people willing to buy puppies after hearing a sob story aren't going to go anywhere.

There's already other people out there to take her place started popping up - so it's a way to make money that's not going away - whether Ms. Benoit does it or someone else, unfortunately.

Ms. Benoit just does it with a lot of flairand  cruelty.

It's the puppies who will continue to lose out until the government of Nova Scotia decides that domestic animal's deserve some true, real protection under the law.

Don't hold your breath.

Here's today's Chronicle Herald story about the subject -

Some photos on a Sunday evening

Here's a few photos I took tonight of the crew - Diego and Bubby have finally started playing, which is fabulous - it's taken about 3 weeks I think since he arrived - but it's finally started happening. And they are playing furiously tonight. I'm so glad it's finally happening. Diego will be so much happier now.