Victory & Freedom for Animals in Canada and LONG Overdue!!...

Yes! Some backbone shown in our House of Parliament this past Friday November 6th. Canada has adopted the 'Universal Declaration for Animal Welfare'. We are one of many, many countries around the globe now taking a stand to end the rampant cruelty inflicted on animals ~ from domestic companion animals, to circus animals, to farm factory animals and animals heading to slaughter houses. The despicable conditions, inhumane treatment and cruelty that has been shamefully accepted as 'the norm', may soon come to an end. The world is at last getting right with their conscience on this important matter, recognizing that animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain. The days of turning a blind eye is over. A huge thank you to the power of the world wide web for that!

Here are the '5 FREEDOMS' outlined in the Universal Declaration of Animal Welfare which will be presented to the United Nations next year:

• Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition
• Freedom from fear and distress
• Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort
• Freedom from pain and disease
• Freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour

For the first time in a very long time I feel proud to be a Canadian. Since founding HART: Highland Animal Rescue Team back in 1994, I was involved in countless rescues of animals in distress from puppy mills to back road breeders to unbelievable cruelty cases including the drownings, shootings and discarding of poor performing hunting dogs, to unwanted puppies and kittens. This, just to name a few. Besides the heartache of witnessing such acts of cruelty by man on their animal companions, the real frustrations came with the lack of laws to protect the victims. My hope is now we can move forward with new legislation and start passing laws that will give more power to the police to press charges, harsher fines and longer jail times. Along with raising awareness, making puppy mills illegal, ending the shameful seal hunt, we might just start to see a shift and watch ourselves benefit from becoming a more conscious, compassionate and benevolent society.