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CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Lakeshore accepting applications for rat abatement program
A large rat is pictured in this undated file photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns The delayed rat abatement program is moving forward in Lakeshore. The program was initially approved two years ago, but the rollout was delayed until now. The municipality is now accepting applications for the residential rat abatement pilot program. Property owners can apply for a rebate of up to 50 per cent of the cost of extermination services, to a maximum of $200. Earlier this year, council allocated $10,000 for the program. To be considered, residents must complete a brief intake form, and have the outside of their home inspected by a bylaw officer.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
PETA sues American Kennel Club over standards for French bulldogs, other breeds
French bulldogs compete in breed group judging during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, May 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) NEW YORK — The animal rights group PETA sued Tuesday to try to force the American Kennel Club to abandon the standards it backs for hyper-popular French bulldogs and some other breeds, contending that the influential club is promoting unhealthy physical features. The lawsuit turns up the heat around one of the biggest flashpoints in dogdom: the attributes that have been honed to define some breeds, including the Frenchie, which the AKC ranks as the United States' most popular breed. 'The AKC's official breed standards for the bulldog, French bulldog, pug, dachshund and Chinese shar-pei provide blueprints for the breeding of deformed, unhealthy dogs,' PETA says in the suit. The AKC said it's committed to protecting 'the health, heritage and well-being of purebred dogs' and that responsibly bred dogs that conform to the standards are healthy. 'We categorically reject PETA's mischaracterizations of specific breed standards and their assertion that these standards create unhealthy dogs,' the club said in a statement, adding that dog health and welfare is 'paramount and at the core of our mission.' Founded in 1884, the New York-based AKC is a nonprofit that acts like a league for many canine competitions and runs the United States' oldest dog registry, where owners may choose to document their dogs' existence and accomplishments. Mixed-breed dogs and rescues can be registered as 'canine partners' and compete in some sports, but the club's history is closely tied to fanciers who cultivate and show purebreds. Each breed has its own club that sets the 'standard,' or ideal characteristics, for the dogs. The AKC reviews, approves and promulgates them. PETA, also called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, describes itself as an animal liberation organization. Its advocacy includes boycotts and litigation. Its supporters are known for staging sometimes disruptive protests in settings including a papal audience, a Starbucks and sporting events such as the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. The Norfolk, Virginia-based nonprofit opposes dog breeding in general and has clashed for years with the AKC. Peppered with photos and diagrams, PETA's new lawsuit runs through health problems that can beset short-legged, long-backed dachshunds ('the animal equivalent of a poorly designed bridge,' in PETA's view) and shar-peis, which can have spates of fever and inflammation known as 'shar-pei autoinflammatory disease.' The complaint points to pugs' risk of injuries to their marbly eyes and susceptibility to breathing problems and overheating because of their flat faces. The suit zeros in on those and other parts of bulldogs and Frenchies, including the big heads that often prompt caesarian births. The various problems that PETA cites don't afflict all dogs of these breeds, and some do agility, dock diving and other sports. But the conditions can be serious for those that have them. In the U.K. — where research involving about 24,600 dogs suggested that Frenchies have 'very different, and largely much poorer' health than do other canines — the British Veterinary Association campaigns against advertisements that feature flat-faced breeds. The Netherlands has prohibited breeding very short-snouted dogs. Norway's Supreme Court, however, declined to block the breeding of English bulldogs — but upheld a lower court's prohibition on breeding cavalier King Charles spaniels, citing a different set of health concerns. The AKC says the breed standards it approves reflect 'decades of collaboration with veterinary experts and breeders.' Some breed clubs donate to and participate in dog health research, and the AKC says it has given over US$40 million since 1995 to its canine health research charity. Jennifer Peltz, The Associated Press
CBC
6 hours ago
- CBC
Alarms, more buoys among safety updates for Wolfe Island ferry after damage: MPP
Social Sharing Real-time course monitoring and navigational alarms that will sound sooner in strong winds are among the safety updates planned for the Wolfe Islander IV after the ferry was damaged, according to the region's MPP. Ted Hsu, who represents Kingston and the Islands, said he met with Ontario's Ministry of Transportation (MTO) late last month for a briefing about what was being done to prevent a repeat of the Dec. 4 incident that left the vessel out of service for months while it underwent repairs. The ministry has shared few details about what led to the incident in which the boat is believed to have struck bottom, tearing a roughly 30-centimetre gash in its hull and causing it to take on water. Documents obtained by CBC show the vessel had left its typical course when the damage occurred. Hsu said the ministry has made a number of changes, including conducting a new survey of the channel bottom and a plan to increase the number of buoys used to guide the boat between the island and Kingston from five to seven. "They're going to be all-weather, lit buoys, so the route is going to be marked a bit better," said the MPP. Changes are also coming to procedures aboard the ferry, he told CBC. Hsu said in the past former captains or crew members might go up to the bridge to visit with staff while the vessel was underway. That tradition can continue during the mid-point of a crossing, but only those actually on the job will be allowed on the bridge during departure and arrival, according to the MPP. "It's great that the community is is there, and there's a whole community of people who know the know the ferries, but they're putting in these new procedures to reduce the chance that there's another accident like this," he explained. In a post shared on social media Monday, the MPP wrote "enhanced training" including simulator exercises and drills for "more effective decision-making on the bridge" was also taking place. Hsu said he was told audible alarms have also been added to the electronic navigation system, which will sound earlier in "adverse conditions" such as strong winds. Historical weather data from Environment Canada shows winds of 40-45 km/h were blowing in Kingston around the time the ferry was damaged. That's led some residents to question whether the new ferry is a "fair-weather boat." "The Wolfe Islander IV has to serve the people of Kingston and Wolfe Island all year round in bad weather," said Hsu, who pointed out it also has a deeper draft than the previous ferry, meaning it's "less forgiving" if it goes off course. "I feel that MTO is doing whatever it can to make sure that it's an all-weather boat," he said. "Let's try these new procedures and and then make a judgment later as to whether it's an all-weather boat or a mostly fair-weather boat."
