Dear FML:
 
Today I called the pound in Durham and spoke to Sophie.  The first thing
she asked was "where are you calling from?"
 
I can only assume the calls from all over North America have really caught
her and her operation off guard.  I assured her I was calling from Richmond
Hill (very close) and she had nothing to fear.  I pleaded for her to let me
take the ferret but she explained it still belongs to the abusive owner
and they have no law within their grasp to seize it from her (this may be
bullshit, but I am not familiar with all the implications of this case).
Anyway the owner has demanded the ferret be put to sleep.  Sophie assured
me that the owner had been told that people had called and were prepared to
adopt it but the owner is insisting on killing her pet ferret (again this
may or may not be bullshit).  It is imperative that we make sure an autopsy
is preformed to settle once and for all (as Ed [Lipinski] has observed)
that no cruelty to this animal was involved.  In other words will an
autopsy show starvation or previously broken bones or any sign of abuse?
This woman is known to the local Childrens Aid society - under what
circumstances the paper did not say - but it won't be for her good deeds.
 
To that end it is probably the next step that as many people as possible
call the Durham Humane Society and demand that they take the ferret from
the Durham Pound and preform an autopsy and depending on what that shows
that she be charged if cruelty is proved.
Durham Humane Society - 1 905 433 2022
 
The phone number for the Durham Police is 1 905 579 1520
I am not sure if a call to them is necessary but they are the investigating
force so maybe if there are any officers of the law (or ex-officers of the
law) they could make a call and get some action.
 
It is not beyond my thinking that this woman wants this animal dead and
gone so that she cannot be linked to cruelty charges and indeed if the
ferret is euthanized already we may be screwed - so Thursday as you are
reading this please think about making the call and not let this ferret
die in vain - at the very least you may be saving two small children from a
continued life in hell.
 
The number for the Durham Pound is 1 905 427 8737 and the manager is Sophie
in case anyone needs to speak to her.
 
I will also be senging a copy of this email to the Solicitor General for
Canada as she is in the process of re-writing the cruelty to animals laws
in Canada as it appears that cruelty to animals is nearly always a sign
that a person is capable of more horrific and sadistic crime in the future.
It is a short step from abusing your pet by not feeding it to locking your
kids in a closet and going out for a few beers for a few days.
 
Lynn
[Posted in FML issue 2741]