This has been bugging me for a while.

[wild bill]

A LFS here in Alberta has been being harassed by the humane society in Calgary. This store has the best selection of fish in the city by variety and sheer numbers. Any way at the begining of December the humane sosiety took away his business licence without a conviction. In return they have ordered him to continue caring for his fish with no income.
What really gets me about this is that a short ime ago I had a thread asking what members thought or feared about animal rights. A lot of you agreed they were a issue but a lot said I was paranoid. Well the humane society is an animal rights group and they have now shown their true colors here in Alberta. This poor man is being treted worse than if he had killed somebody driving drunk. The humane society is saying they could and want to fine him 200 thousand dollars for each creature they claim he has suffering in his care. Where is this kind of power when dealing with crimes against a human. In my previous thread I had warned this day was comming but had no idea it would be so soon.
What I fail to understand is why cities,states,provinces and even Countries put these animal rights groups in this position of power. It is like leaving the fox to watch your chickens. Some of you will know this story I have mentioned and others won't. Either way what is happening here in Alberta will soon end all privately owned pet stores and then the big chain ones too.
I forgot to mention this store owner is a private business man. What are your thoughts and what can we do to keep private store owners in business to help keep healthy competition going in our hobby. Or heaven frbid lose our right to keep pets and yes I mean pets not cmpanion animals. As companion animal is a term given a pet so Peta nut can justify owning their pets.

 

[DN328]

I dont know the original story you posted, but can you elaborate more as to why he IS being threatened? I must be missing some facts as to how we reached this point, and, how you think we will no longer be allowed to have pets, including wet ones.

 

[dogofwar]

Does he sell other animals - like dogs - or just fish?

Matt

 

[krichardson]

How was the Humane Society able to take the owner's business license?

 

[ehh]

There has to be something else going on.

Do you any articles or anything saying why they went after this store in particular?

 

[Allan01230]

there is definately more to the story here

 

[smitty03281964]

What made the Humane Society come after this guy. Can you a a copy of the complaint from the owner which the Society would have had to serve him and post it here. I don't want to sway to either side because it seem like something is missing from the story. But if you post the fact you will more than likely get honest answers and opinions.

 

[skjl47]

A lot of you agreed they were a issue but a lot said I was paranoid. Well the humane society is an animal rights group and they have now shown their true colors here in Alberta.

Hello; Some years ago I became concerned about such issues. I do not think you are paranoid. I decided to not keep a furry pet any longer because of the mounting evidence that other people were getting into the position of deciding the criteria for what is "proper treatment." Don't jump to the conclusion that I am for mistreatment of animals, I am not. What may have started as "good intentions" with regard to mitigating the very worst conditions animals faced, has been morphing into the inclusion of more control over the definitions about the keeping of "pets".

What I fail to understand is why cities,states,provinces and even Countries put these animal rights groups in this position of power.

Hello; I think the state and local authorties have been swayed. Consider this old saw: Have you stopped beating your wife? If you say yes it implies you beat her in the past. If you say no it means you are still beating the wife.
When the animal rights groups press for legislation it is sort of framed such that if you do not go along with them, then you must be for cruel treatment of animals. It seems that more and more these groups are defining the terms. We use to be pet owners, now a common term is "pet parent."
I see the merit when authorities step in when some situation with animals is bad. The concern being that when a group gets controling influence, they tend to push further and further for more control.

The question that needs more clairification is whether the Fish shop owner was running the shop with poor conditions or not. Is this an overreach into his business or justified in some way?

 

[celebrist]

Seems like there is some information missing, I am unaware of an animal rights group being able to "take away" a legally procured license to do business. They may have filed some sort of complaint against the owner, do you have any additional information about the owner or what the humane society is alleging?

 

[wild bill]

He is being charged for allegedly not taking care of his lizards and here is the kicker feeder mice. Here is how far things have gone a number of years ago the Alberta SPCA got a vet to say that a goat beside a lion cage would be in distress because it would know the lions wanted to eat it.
The humane society has yet to get a conviction but have now got a cout order taking away this mans livelyhood. A sales rep for Hagen we know when this first came out and said this is a sad situation. He said this in a politcally correct way as to not step on any toes.In early December the humane society got the LFS's business licenece suspended. When we talked to the sales rep after that he was very andry and told this group is out to get this man plain and simple. The sales rep knows this store owner very well and how his store is run and can not believe this can happen.
I trust this sales rep's word as he covers alot of stores and deals with this business all the time.

Skj147 I remember you were on my side before and thank you It is becomming more and more evident that the world is on a trip to a hot destination in a basket you might carry in your hand. As pet owners and hobbiest I truly believe that this event had better open peoples eyes. Because when these groups and their groupies make claims you are guilty untill you can prove yourself innocent. There accusations don't have to be true all they care is you go broke defending yourself. In Alberta the SPCA is given over 1 000 000 dollars a year to enforce the animal protection act. They are not hired just given a grant and not accountable for anything they do.