Last chance to STEP up and SPEAK up...

Last night Sault Ste. Marie City Council voted 6 to 4 in favour of getting staff to redraft the bylaw with an exemption for Spruce Haven zoo from the ENTIRE bylaw. This would mean that the zoo can do whatever they want with those animals and the city would have no ability to deal with dirty cages or any other things which are included in the bylaw. The bylaw has not been passed yet, so folks from SSM can still help get those animals help by calling councillors and asking them not to just give a blanket exemption to the zoo. If they are going to leave the animals in the zoo they must put in place regulations to increase animal welfare and public safety. Remind them that they will have legal liability if one of the animals were to escape since council was aware of the problem and opted to ignore the safety issues. On a positive note, the ban for zoos was supported by all council and the motion to exempt Spruce Haven came with a condition that they could not acquire any more animals, so at least there will be no new captive animals in SSM as it stands now. However, as I said above the bylaw has not been passed so you still have time to help the animals. Please take time to call and write to the council members to let them know you do not support a full exemption for Spruce Haven and if they insist on leaving the animals there they must protect the animals and the public with regulations that ensure proper fencing and environments which accommodate the biological and behavioural needs of the animals. Thank you for your support.