This has been bugging me for a while.

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And the HS can only act and/or investigate complaints that may possibly be in violation of the Alberta Animal Protection Act, or the Canada Criminal Code.

Their beliefs, or position on a matter are just that, their beliefs as an organization. It doesn't give them a green light to do whatever they please, anymore than a badge allows an RCMP officer to make up laws as they go along.

I personally think that there are fanatics on both sides of this equation.
 
I understand what you are saying RD but we have dealt with an SPCA official who laid charges against my dad only to cost my dad money. That is not proper protocol nor does it state in fhe act they can do that. In fact he bragged to us one time that they could inspect hog barns when ever they pleased. So you may see why I think they may let their position statement over ride the act they enforce.
I agree there has to be some one to enforce the animal protection act but an animal rights group should not be the ones.
We would have none of our exotic pets now if the foundation stock had not come from the wild.Someone told me one time that some of the fish we keep actually need WC blood lines to keep the lines from becoming deformed.
There were some good points in the HS position statement. However some of their thoughts I don't think they thought over what they said. The one about wolves being pets for instance. It is against the law to have a wolf for a pet Alberta. Now I to agree that wolf hybrids are not a good pet. But I think youwere right last thread I had we need to have a coffee together someday.
 
I understand that there are those who overstep their boundaries, even sometimes breaking the law themselves, in every facet of life, doctors, lawyers, cops, judges, animal protection services, and that list could go on and on. But that doesn't mean that one should throw the baby out with the bath water. The HS in Calgary does not enforce the law, the courts do. Just as the HS does not suspend or terminate a city license, the city makes that decision, no doubt after a lengthy conversation with their attorneys. There are checks and balances along the way. Is it a perfect system? Probably not, but what is?



Someone told me one time that some of the fish we keep actually need WC blood lines to keep the lines from becoming deformed.
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Someone was talking out of their arse. The only valid reason that I can think of for requiring wild caught stock, is that some fish have not been bred in captivity. So you either keep WC stock, or not at all. Inbreeding deformities is not typically as big of an issue as some would have you believe, and as long as there are different groups of the species in circulation an outcross with a fresh domestically raised gene pool is easily accomplished. Even still, genetics is a funny thing, an unrelated outcross with a fresh blood line could bring you more deformities in a line than what one originally had. It's all random, unless you know the genetic make up of each fish that you breed. You need to breed two fish to see what you get. Some parents produce rock stars, others throw duds. All depends on the genes, wild fish does not necessarily equal superior genes.
 
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RD. said:
Someone was talking out of their arse. The only valid reason that I can think of for requiring wild caught stock, is that some fish have not been bred in captivity. So you either keep WC stock, or not at all. Inbreeding deformities is not typically as big of an issue as some would have you believe, and as long as there are different groups of the species in circulation an outcross with a fresh domestically raised gene pool is easily accomplished. Even still, genetics is a funny thing, an unrelated outcross with a fresh blood line could bring you more deformities in a line than what one originally had. It's all random, unless you know the genetic make up of each fish that you breed. You need to breed two fish to see what you get. Some parents produce rock stars, others throw duds. All depends on the genes, wild fish does not necessarily equal superior genes.
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An eye-opening and precious nugget of knowledge for me. Thank you, RD.
 
We all havw to remember though that some where along the line all of pur [ets came from wild caught animals.
 
I see both sides of this argument and think both RD and Wild bill bring up great points.
I think that organizations or departments like it weild a certain level of power. Even thouugh the cause is just and nessasary govt's/politicians/people in general eventually abuse their power and become corrupt.
 
No one is saying that you can't keep wild caught fish, or anything else that is legal to keep in the Province. Are there boundaries in place for how those pets are kept, yes, as there should be. But here's the thing, when one opens themselves up to the public, then they also open themselves up to public scrutiny. With that comes the good, the bad, and the ugly. If I set up 50 aquariums in the privacy of my home and burn a small candle, no one notices me and nobody cares. If I take those same tanks & set them up in my garage, and charge admission to the public, it opens me up to a whole new set of rules, and a whole new potential set of problems - such as those opposed to the captivity of fish in general.

If I own a pet store then I should know in advance that there will be those who will watch for signs of cruelty or conditions that one might consider incorrect, or placing an animal under stress, and I better be damn certain that those types of allegations won't stick - ever - period. Sick animals had better be treated by a vet, enclosures had better be clean, with proper ventilation, etc-etc. This is part of doing business in the pet trade and should come as no surprise to anyone, least of all someone that has already received a warning or had complaints filed against them in the past.
 
Ok I understand what you are getting at here RD and yes when you are open to the public you are open to scrutiny. But here is something you have not realised. These animal rights groups search out places caring for animals and they know all they have to do is make a compaint and they do just that. In fact they will send 1 individual to see te facility and take some pictures. When they take the pictures they know how to work angles focus on a tiny spot and so on. Now when they make a compaint it doesn't have to be true it will get investigated. Now lets say there are 59 members in this group that will be 50 complaints. Does that look good to the facility no way but they are documented and kept on record even if no problem was found when the officer responded. Now here I am speaking from first hand knowledge. These complaints are often form letters but that doesn't matter it is a complaint. As you can see the facility soon has a bad name. There is no security for the owners only the complainers I always thought both sides were to be equal but no.
I know what you said you saw and thought but you were in a position where what could you do. But I don't think you went away and told your friends to make complaints when they had never been there. But these groups are looking to set presidences which they can later use to shut down all animal related industry. How can it be fought when the ones enforcing the laws are in the same category. Where did the animal protection act come from the government was looied by groups like PETA the HSUS ,WSPA and so on. The act keeps changing and why to appease these groups.
Which now that I am all worked up brings me to another point. Why in heavens name do we send the fire department to save a cat in a tree. There job is to save humans homes we have the HS and SPCA to dave animals why are they not called in.
 
Oh ya I forgot the HS is saying we can't keep WC fish they just haven't got the law passed yet.
 
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