a Whale of a Success
20th Annual Event Saw Over 120 Registrants
On Oct. 19, over 100 students, faculty, and members of the public gathered at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) to attend the annual Animal Welfare Forum. Hosted by the OVC Animal Welfare Club, this year’s event marked two decades for the yearly discussion on prominent animal welfare issues spanning a range of species, disciplines, and challenges.
The event brought in three keynote speakers from across North America to discuss concerns around puppy mills, captive cetaceans, and the current legal void surrounding the enforcement of animal protection, both provincially and federally. The guest lecturers are all experts in their respective fields, and attendees were encouraged to think critically about the complexities of the problems discussed.
Dr. Candace Croney: Puppy Mills
The first talk of the day was presented by Purdue University’s Dr. Candace Croney, director of the university’s Center for Animal Welfare. Croney’s discussion — titled Can the Problem of Puppy Mills be Better Addressed by Establishing High Welfare Standards for Dogs in Commercial Breeding Kennels? — was a summary of ideas and evidence garnered over her time as an animal sciences PhD student and professor, as well as her appointments with various animal-focused university and regulatory working groups.
While animal advocates often promote the “adopt don’t shop” ideology, Croney pointed out that many potential owners simply do not pursue that path of pet ownership. She highlighted the distinction between commercial dog breeders, which are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture, and puppy mills, which are unregulated, illegal operations. There is a likelihood for better canine welfare when dogs are bred and obtained from reputable, licensed, and inspected breeders. When blanket bans are implemented, or when the demands of the market are not being met, purchasers often turn to the “black market” to find a dog.
Croney emphasized the importance of reserving one’s judgment for breeders until there has been an adequate opportunity and willingness for their education and compliance with animal welfare recommendations. Having personally witnessed unsubstantiated judgment inflicted on breeders who were truly “trying to do the right thing,” she urges animal lovers to consider all angles of the issue before adopting a black and white view.
Wrapping up her thought-provoking lecture, Croney admitted that the current state of regulations to protect bred dogs is just a “wild west,” made worse by the “shocking deficit in current literature regarding basic husbandry for breeders.” Ultimately, if we are to tackle issues around canine welfare, both breeder and owner education are important to effect long term change.
Lori Marino: Captive Cetaceans
The morning set concluded with Dr. Lori Marino, a neuroscientist who has studied the brain and intelligence of cetaceans, farm animals, and primates. As founder and President of The Whale Sanctuary Project, Marino’s talk, Large Brains in Small Tanks: The Welfare of Captive Cetaceans, provided insight on cetacean intelligence, the problem with their captivity, and ongoing initiatives to improve welfare for the 63 captive cetaceans currently in Canada.
Cetaceans, which include dolphins, whales, and porpoises, are incredibly intelligent animals both subjectively and objectively, Marino explained. For example, she showed a slide comparing beluga and orca whale brains to human brains, emphasizing the unique paralimbic lobe of the former. Essentially, the tissue of cetaceans in that area of the brain is so elaborate and with such dense connections that it differentiated into its own lobe. These animals have proven an ability to understand relationships between symbols and objects, perform vocal imitations, and more.
Objective data is important for animal welfare concerns to be taken seriously by the scientific community. As Marino says, “It doesn’t matter what I think, it matters what the data says.”
Unfortunately, there are catastrophic impacts to cetaceans forced to live in tanks. Opportunistic infections, gastric ulcers, and more present themselves at high rates despite having a guaranteed food source, no predators, and round-the-clock veterinary care. Marino explained these findings are often due to the poor immune system formed while living in tanks and a lack of mental and emotional wellness.
Marino proposed to the audience that, given the recent ban on any new cetaceans brought into captivity in Canada, a temporary solution to the “grandfathering in” of existing animals would be sanctuaries. The Whale Sanctuary Project intends to be an authentic sanctuary — not just a place to live, she insists, but a place to thrive. Animals brought into the project will receive a lifetime of care and wellness, with no breeding, unnecessary procedures, or performances. These sanctuaries will be built in communities where they are truly wanted and will focus on autonomy, true education, conservation, and total transparency about who the animals are.
“Is it ideal?” asks Marino. “No? Is it orders of magnitude better than a concrete tank? You bet.”
Dr. Kendra Coulter: The Future of Animal Cruelty Investigations
The afternoon featured a presentation and audience discussion with Dr. Kendra Coulter, Chancellor’s Chair for Research Excellence at Brock University’s Department of Labour Studies. Highlighting the present chaotic state of animal cruelty investigations and enforcement in our province, Coulter did not shy away from the fact that the 444 municipalities of Ontario create a “logistical nightmare” for those trying to create a seamless framework.
Recent rulings have upended the authority of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA), the former agency responsible for the protection of domestic and farm animals. Ontario is currently working to develop legal procedures and an enforcement agency to replace the OSPCA Act, a law that involved many municipalities contracting out their animal enforcement. Coulter, who is currently leading a multi-year research project on animal cruelty investigation policy, views this as an opportunity to repurpose our approach to animal welfare enforcement.
Arguing for a public animal control unit, Coulter explained the benefit of inspection, accreditation, and having experts distributed throughout the province. The public often gets it wrong, she said, noting that animal cruelty is a spectrum, and people who don’t know what goes on behind closed doors can either under- or overestimate the severity of a situation. What is important, concluded Coulter, is that a workable framework of knowledgeable, cohesive resources can be implemented province-wide to ensure that every animal is receiving the kindness and care it deserves.