Citizens of this community owe a debt of gratitude to the Piesse family for their courageous stance on the unlawful town killing of their cat Mikey.
The family's decision to speak out publicly brought sharp focus into the inadequacies of the town's animal control procedures. Town CAO Todd Becker also deserves credit for immediately getting ahead of the controversy, which predictably generated national and provincial news coverage. Becker promised an overhaul of these grossly loop-holed and unfair procedures that led to the death of Mikey through the unlawful euthanasia order from peace officer Brandi Gray, who has since resigned.
But it's one thing for the town to simply say it will come up with new procedures, and another altogether to categorically prove to the pet-loving population there will be realistic solutions to prevent future unlawful pet deaths.
If the town is truly serious its first priority should be to declare Innisfail a no-kill community for lost, abandoned and problematic dogs and cats, except in the most extraordinary cases, such as an attack or an animal facing extreme suffering.
The Red Deer-based Central Alberta Humane Society is proudly a no-kill pet shelter, with the humane treatment of its animals an essential core value for all communities it's mandated to serve, which includes Innisfail. Of course Innisfail does not have its own pet shelter but it can, through its new animal control procedures, forge a stronger cost effective relationship with the Red Deer-based society.
Tara Hellewell, executive director of the society, told the Province last week she would soon contact the Town of Innisfail to formalize its relationship with this community.
The town can also strengthen its relationships with the many animal rescue societies throughout the region, which are dedicated to ensure all homeless, unwanted or abandoned cats or dogs have a fighting chance to have a forever home.
And while creating its own animal shelter would no doubt be cost prohibitive for the Town of Innisfail, pet loving citizens of the community may want to look to Didsbury for inspiration. After 10 long years of planning, committed volunteers recently opened the new Wild Rose Humane Society animal shelter. The project was supported by a $12,500 provincial grant and a $50,000 loan from the Town of Didsbury. Homeless, lost and abandoned pets in Didsbury and surrounding area now have a real chance for humane treatment and long-term survival.
The Town of Innisfail has a glorious opportunity to be just as creative and progressive, perhaps keeping in mind the words attributed to the late Indian philosopher Mohandas Gandhi.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Johnnie Bachusky is the editor of the Innisfail Province.
