Humane Society embroiled in animal-liberation dispute

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/04/2019 (2374 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Humane Society tried to do something new last week. It offered space for an animal rights group to host a public information night, and promoted the event on its Facebook page.

The group, Manitoba Animal Save (MAS), advocates for complete “animal liberation” from all forms of use and abuse, and ultimately hopes to “shut down slaughterhouses and turn them into sanctuaries.” They often hold protests outside of local meat shops and abattoirs.

For some humane society fans and followers, though, the group’s mandate rubs the wrong way. This includes Dr. Keri Hudson Reykdal, better known as Dr. Keri: Prairie Vet on television’s Animal Planet, who shared the post on Facebook, along with harsh criticism of the society for accommodating the “extremist” group. Subsequently, the society and MAS were inundated with comments and debates (her post, and several others on the topic have since been deleted), leading to the animal rights group pulling the plug on the event at the last minute, citing exhaustion.

The ordeal reveals a sad lack of progress in the Manitoba animal advocacy community, and signals an urgent need for new perspectives when it comes to the protection of animals — all animals — in this province.

Following the online drama, humane society CEO Javier Schwersensky published a blog titled, More Humanity, Less Hatred: Can We Please Listen to Each Other? — a fair request, particularly since the MAS information night was simply for that purpose, to inform and answer questions.

In the post, Schwersensky explains, “the humane society is part of the humane movement,” meaning they advocate for higher welfare standards of animals kept on farms and encourage their supporters to seek “humanely certified meat; to try as much as possible to buy from local small-scale producers who follow the most humane practices” (though offers no guidance on how to seek such assurances).

He adds, “we also encourage everyone to try more plant-based foods and reduce meat consumption as much as each person is comfortable with.”

Schwersensky also recognizes that though animal rights groups may not agree with the humane society’s support of “humane meat” — how do you humanely kill someone who doesn’t want to die? — the society is open to their perspective and members. “Animal rights activists are not bad people, they are not ‘terrorists’ or ‘crazy.’ They have moral and ethical grounds to believe in what they do.”

Schwersensky goes on to state he also hears criticism from the other side: “I also met with those who believe animal-rights organizations should not have a place with the society. ‘Stick to dogs and cats’ is a phrase I also hear.”

The society has intentionally placed itself in the middle of the animal-welfare versus animal-rights debate. And for Manitoba, a Prairie province with agriculture at its roots, it’s a brave and necessary position.

As far as humane societies go, advocating for animal rights is not unusual. The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) proudly promotes veganism, including via bus ads in 2018, showing a child petting a pig, with the text: “Friend, not food. When we were children, we knew.”

“We think this is the best way to help farmed animals, as it means fewer animals being slaughtered or facing suffering on factory farms,” says VHS’s Peter Fricker, adding they also advocate for improved conditions for animals currently suffering on intensive animal farms. “We don’t see these aims as mutually exclusive.”

All food served at VHS fundraising events is vegan. As is food served at events held by the Montreal SPCA. “It is our policy not to spend our donors’ dollars that are meant to help animals, on purchasing animal-based products,” media relations co-ordinator Anita Kapuscinska says.

At the Winnipeg Humane Society’s annual Bow Wow Ball in October, the menu consisted of vegan, vegetarian, and a “free-run” chicken course, offering perhaps a perfect metaphor for the state of animal compassion in this province.

But, as more information comes to light regarding the inherent cruelty suffered by animals on farms, in transport trucks and slaughterhouses; about the ethical dilemmas involved in eating animal products as plant-based alternatives become more and more abundant; and about the undeniably devastating effects of animal agriculture upon the environment; it’s time Manitoba animal lovers open our hearts and minds to more progressive ideas regarding our treatment of not only cats and dogs, but farmed animals, too.

The Winnipeg Humane Society and its social-media platforms should be safe and welcoming spaces to share and discuss these varying perspectives, to ask questions, and to consider the actual characters at the centre of this: the animals — all animals.

Scott-Reid is a writer and animal advocate originally from Manitoba, currently based between Winnipeg and Montreal.