In his Dec. 23 column titled, Were You Born in a Barn?, Al Pope eloquently debated the Humane Society Yukon’s proposal to extend its services to livestock.
In his column, Mr. Pope posed a number of ethical questions and made comments and assumptions about the society’s past, current and planned business.
The Society receives unwanted, abused, and/or neglected animals at the shelter. These animals may be surrendered by the owner, found as strays or brought in by the City of Whitehorse bylaw services. It is not in the society’s mandate to confiscate animals.
The society believes in respect for all life. In doing so, we show a positive regard for the worth of pets and livestock. We believe that all animals have value in their own right. As such, no life form is considered higher or lower than another. The society believes that all animals in care deserve to live in a world in which they enjoy, as a minimum, five essential freedoms:
1) freedom from hunger and thirst
2) freedom from pain, injury and disease
3) freedom from distress
4) freedom from discomfort
5) freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being
Therefore, all proposals that are brought forward by the society to improve the quality of life of pets and livestock are made with these values in mind.
Shelley Cuthbert, president
Madeleine Girard, vice-president
Humane Society Yukon