ACT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!
Meeting in St Catharines – Monday December 12th
Background (or just scroll down to find out how to act now!)
- Reptilia wants to set up a shopping mall reptile zoo at in St. Catharines.
- Reptilia needs an exemption from By-Law 95-212 to set up their zoo and to keep prohibited animals, like crocodiles, venomous reptiles and giant constricting snakes, and to use exotic animals in events throughout the City.
- In 2013 By-Law 95-212 was updated by prohibiting the dangerous animals Reptilia now wants to keep. Changes to the By-Law will make St. Catharines less safe.
- If Reptilia receives an exemption, they will be able to bring in other kinds of prohibited animals and the City won’t be able to do anything about it.
- If Reptilia receives an exemption, it’s likely other exotic animal businesses will want one as well.
- Reptilia and its exotic animals are not regulated by the Province. Ontario does not regulate zoos or exotic wildlife in captivity and does not provide consistent oversight of exotic animal businesses.
- The City of St. Catharines and taxpayers bear responsibility for dealing with many exotic animal issues and problems within its boundaries.
- Animal welfare and wildlife protection NGOs, veterinarians, animal welfare scientists and academics oppose the Reptilia request for an exemption to By-Law 95-212 for animal welfare, human safety, environmental protection and other reasons.
- After a thorough review the City of Toronto rejected Reptilia’s request for an amendment to their bylaw.
- Leading animal welfare experts and organizations oppose the Reptilia request for an exemption because reptiles are complex, active, sentient animals with advanced cognitive, emotional and social capabilities that require very specialized environmental and welfare conditions. They solve problems, have long-term memories, play, possess advanced forms of communication, cooperate with each, socialize, form long-term relationships, take care of the young, can self-recognize and more. They can experience distress, discomfort, pain, suffering and negative emotional states in captivity and when transported from place to place.
- The Niagara Region has a long history of animal attractions and controversies associated with them, including in St. Catharines. The City should not move backwards by allowing new unregulated animal attractions.
IF YOU DO NOT
LIVE IN ST. CATHARINES
Send your email to: correspondence@stcatharines.ca (See sample text at bottom of this page and make sure to mention you are writing about the Reptilia exemption request and Report EDTS 189-2022)
IF YOU ARE A ST.CATHARINES RESIDENT
Send your email to:
bwilliamson@stcatharines.ca, bphillips@stcatharines.ca, cgarcia@stcatharines.ca, ddodge@stcatharines.ca, gmiller@stcatharines.ca, jkushner@stcatharines.ca, jlindal@stcatharines.ca, ktownsend@stcatharines.ca, mstevens@stcatharines.ca, mharris@stcatharines.ca, rmcpherson@stcatharines.ca, cratzlaff@stcatharines.ca, mayor@stcatharines.ca, correspondence@stcatharines.ca
(mention you are writing about the Reptilia exemption request and Report EDTS 189-2022)
IF YOU ARE A ST. CATHARINES RESIDENT – PHONE YOUR COUNCILLOR!
CLICK HERE FOR COUNCILLOR CONTACT INFORMATION
REQUEST A DELEGATION – SPEAK TO COUNCIL
AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
(from your own home)
Go to https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/council-and-administration/presenting-to-council.aspx
and scroll down to the Request a Delegation to City Council link.
SAMPLE EMAIL TEXT (writing your own message is more effective)
SUBJECT: Reject the Reptilia request to amend Exotic Animals By-Law 95-212 (Report EDTS 189-2022)
I’m writing to request that you deny the request to amend By-Law 95-212 that would allow a new reptile zoo to set up, keep dangerous prohibited reptiles and to transport exotic animals throughout the City for events.
Undermining By-Law 95-212 and making the City less safe simply because one small business wants to set up doesn’t make any sense. It is not good for the City, the residents or the animals and would be a step backward for St. Catharines.
I urge you to protect animal welfare, human health and safety, local wildlife and environments, City resources, including taxpayer dollars, and to move forward toward becoming an even more modern, humane City for both people and animals by rejecting the Reptilia request for a exemption to By-Law 95-212.
Sincerely,