Wolves of Canada

[Guest guest]

I am forwarding this on behalf of the Animal Alliance

of Canada and CAFT.

Some background information re B.C. government attack

on wolves:

 

1) Animal Alliance of Canada Press Release - Jan. 16,

2001

 

2) Contact Information for Minister of Environment,

Lands and Parks

 

3) CP, Fort St. John, original article " B.C. farmer

warns he'll break law and poison wolves to protect

cattle " - Jan. 15, 2001

 

4) a) New BC government factsheet on preventing loss

and b)Government not required to compensate farmers

for losses due to wildlife predation but can decide to

compensate

__________

 

1) AAC Press Release

 

Animal Alliance urges BC Minister not to re-instate

use of cruel, highly toxic poison: Compound 1080

 

" Death [from Compound 1080] can be prolonged and

involve anxiety, repetitive defecation and urination,

continuous vomiting, difficult breathing and

frothing at the mouth, and uncontrolled fits of wild

running, hysteria and barking, interrupted by severe

seizures and muscle contractions, any or all of which

may be both painful and terrifying for the animal, and

which may continue for hours before loss of

consciousness. "

 

>From a report commissioned by the BC government,

dated June 18, 1999. Four veterinarians from the

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre the

University of Saskatchewan & #8217; Western College of

Veterinary Medicine comment on the effects of Compound

1080 on canids.

 

January 16, 2001 - Animal Alliance of Canada urges The

Honourable Ian Wadell to continue to ban the use of

Compound 1080 and any other poison. For the past two

years, the BC Minister of the Environment has

maintained a moratorium on the use of Compound 1080, a

highly toxic slow-acting poison used for wolf and

coyote control. If ingested by any warm-blooded

animal,

including a human, it can be fatal.

 

Barry MacKay states, Animals that ingest Compound 1080

die an excruciating slow death taking up to 10 hours

to die - there is no known antidote. According to

government data, almost 30% of the total documented

deaths from 1080 are in non-target species.

 

Ainslie Willock states, A BC cattle farmer is pushing

for the re-introduction of the wolf poisoning program.

She explains, Cattle farmers must implement

responsible humane wildlife management practices.

They must make sure that animals give birth in

fenced-in supervised areas protected from wolves and

coyotes that are attracted by the scent of the

afterbirth.

 

On January 13th, 1999, The Hon. Cathy McGregor stated,

& #8230; I want the ministry to support the most

humane, practical and environmentally safe methods

available.

 

We respectfully ask the Minister of Environment, Lands

and Parks, the Honourable Ian Waddell, to do just that

by not seeking a renewal of the permit for this

terribly cruel and dangerous poison.

 

For more information please contact: Ainslie Willock,, Animal Alliance of Canada at 416 462-9541

ext 25 (bus) or Barry Kent MacKay, International

Wildlife Director, Animal Protection Institute at

(905)

472-9731 (h/w).

 

******

 

2) Contact Information for Minister

 

The Honourable Ian Waddell

Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks

337, Parliament Buildings

Victoria, BC V8V 1X4

Tel: 250-387-1187

Fax: 250 387-1356

E-mial: Ian.Waddell.Office

 

******

 

3) CP Original Article

 

B.C. farmer warns he'll break law and poison wolves to

protect cattle

Source: CP

Jan 15, 2001 13:29

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. (CP) _ A Cecil Lake farmer says he

is prepared to break the law and poison wolves that

are terrorizing his cattle. Ray L'Heureux has lost

three cows to wolves since the fall. He said he will

break provincial law and set poisoned bait if local

conservation officers don't do something about the

problem. " I'm bringing in poison and I'm going to use

it, and they can write me up if they want " , L'Heureux

vowed on the weekend. L'Heureux said at least 10 cows

have been killed since Aug. 17, 2000, on his and

neighbouring farms. He said he lost three cows in one

night to wolves. " They're brave. They're coming right

in the yard, " he said. " I want them poisoned, or give

me the poison and I'll poison them " . L'Heureux has

hired a guard to stand watch at night and has a

trapper coming in from Alberta. But traps have been

ineffective with little snow this year. L'Heureux is

demanding quick action from the ministry as calving

season is about two weeks away. Cows have been

aborting because the wolves are chasing them around

the

pastures. He said the blood from new-borns will almost

certainly attract more wolves. " We won't have any

calves. They'll kill `em as fast as they come, " said

L'Heureux. Conservation officers have visited his

property, but L'Heureux said his complaints are

falling on deaf ears. " It would be different if they

(wolves) were eating poodles in Victoria, " L'Heureux

said. Wildlife control officer Del Parker said he has

received five wolf complaints since Christmas. He

agreed that poison would be the most effective way of

dealing with the wolves. " If we had a control problem

we'd go out and set the poison and that would

usually take care of them, " he said. But a provincial

permit for its use expired last year and was not

re-issued. " We don't have that option now, " said

Parker.

Mike Miller, president of the Cecil Lake Community

Pasture, said the ministry has offered to organize a

helicopter hunt to track down and destroy the wolves.

But he said the ministry wants them to pay for it.

Hunting season for wolves runs from April 1 to June

15, and Aug. 1 to March 31. But farmers have the

authority to protect property and livestock, said

Parker. " If they get a chance to shoot those wolves

they can legally do it, " he said.

*****

 

4) a) New BC government factsheet on preventing wild

predator loss of livestock and b) B.C. Government not

required to compensate farmers for losses due to

wildlife predation but can still decide to compensate

 

a) The new factsheet that is available from the BC

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries is

entitled:

 

" Preventing Wild Predator Livestock Losses " [i'm

trying to get a copy of this]

 

b) The section of the BC Wildlife Act with respect to

compensation reads:

 

Property in wildlife

2 (1) Ownership in all wildlife in British Columbia is

vested in the government.

(2) A person does not acquire a right of property in

any wildlife except in accordance with a permit or

licence issued under this Act or the Game Farm Act or

as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

(3) A person who lawfully kills wildlife and complies

with all applicable provisions of this Act and the

regulations acquires the right of property in that

wildlife.

(4) If a person by accident or for the protection of

life or property kills wildlife, that wildlife,

despite subsection (3), remains the property of the

government.

(5) Despite anything in this Act, no right of action

lies, and no right of compensation exists, against the

government for death, personal injury or property

damage caused by

(a) wildlife, or

(b) an animal that escapes or is released from

captivity or is abandoned in British Columbia.

 

______________________________

 

Ainslie Willock, Director

Animal Alliance of Canada/The Bear Alliance

221 Broadview Ave., Suite 101, Toronto, ON M4M 2G3

Canada

Tel: 416-462-9541 ext. 25

Fax: 416-462-9647

ainslie

www.animalalliance.ca

 

 

 

 

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