MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD TO PROTECT ANIMALS AND PEOPLE
PLEASE ACT TODAY! THERE IS LESS THAN ONE WEEK TO GO!
A private zoo business called Reptilia applied for an exemption to the prohibited animal provisions in the City of Toronto’s “Animal Control Bylaw”. The exemption would allow them to keep prohibited animals, such as giant constricting snakes, large lizards, crocodiles and alligators and a range of deadly venomous snakes, at a zoo they want to set up at Harbourfront in downtown Toronto.
Animal welfare and wildlife groups, zoological and human health experts and others oppose the Reptilia request for an exemption.
In addition, City of Toronto staff conducted a comprehensive review over the past few months resulting in a detailed report and a recommendation that NO exemption be provided . Read the report by clicking TAS Reptilia Exception Report Nov 2021
The City staff report cited a number of concerns including potential public health risks, the use of animals for offsite events, such as children’s home parties, schools, consumer shows, retail stores, animal welfare concerns and other issues as the reason for their recommendation.
On December 1st, the City of Toronto Economic and Community Development Committee, including local Councillor Joe Cressy who represents the Ward where Reptilia wants to set up, considered the staff report and unanimously supported the staff recommendation NOT to provide an exemption to Reptilia.
We need you to write an email or letter to Toronto City Council before their next meeting on December 15th. The sooner you write, the better. There are two ways you can act.
1) SEND AN AUTOMATED LETTER – EASY AND FAST (approx. 1 minute) Your email will automatically go to the Mayor, Members of Council and relevant City staff. Click here for the AUTOMATED LETTER.
2) SEND YOUR OWN EMAIL OR LETTER – TAKES LONGER BUT IS MORE EFFECTIVE (approx. 5 – 10 minutes) If you’re a Toronto resident, write a quick personal email or letter to your own City Councillor urging them to support the staff recommendation not to provide an exemption to Reptilia. Click here to find out how to get in touch with your own Councillor.
Copy your email to all of the other Toronto City Council members and relevant City staff by cutting and pasting their emails (listed below) into your email program.
EMAIL LIST:
councilmeeting@toronto.ca, mayor_tory@toronto.ca, councilmeeting@toronto.ca, councillor_mford@toronto.ca, councillor_holyday@toronto.ca, councillor_grimes@toronto.ca, councillor_perks@toronto.ca, councillor_nunziata@toronto.ca, councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca, councillor_colle8@toronto.ca, councillor_bailao@toronto.ca, councillor_pasternak@toronto.ca,
councillor_cressy@toronto.ca,councillor_layton@toronto.ca, councillor_matlow@toronto.ca, councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca, councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca, councillor_robinson@toronto.ca, councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca, councillor_carroll@toronto.ca, councillor_filion@toronto.ca, councillor_bradford@toronto.ca, councillor_crawford@toronto.ca, councillor_thompson@toronto.ca, councillor_Mantas@toronto.ca, councillor_lai@toronto.ca, councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca, councillor_mckelvie@toronto.ca, Chris.Murray@toronto.ca, Tracey.Cook@toronto.ca, Carlton.Grant@toronto.ca, Luke.Robertson@toronto.ca, Cheryl.Blackman@toronto.ca, Tobias.Novogrodsky@toronto.ca, Esther.Attard@toronto.ca, Negin.Shamshiri@toronto.ca,
John.Alderice@toronto.ca, Rebecca.Condon@toronto.ca, info@harbourfrontcreate.com, mbraye@harbourfrontcentre.com, aWnek@harbourhfrontcentre.com, tevangelista@borealisinfrastrucutre.com, Alok.Sharma@toronto.ca
You can have even greater impact by sending your email to the City Clerk and asking that it be a part of the City Council agenda package and the official record. Just use the text below at the start of your email and send to councilmeeting@toronto.ca:
Dear City Clerk:
Please add my correspondence, opposing the request by the Reptilia zoo for an exemption to the City’s Animal Control Bylaw prohibited animal rules, to the agenda and for distribution to the Toronto Council meeting of December 15, 2021 regarding Economic and Community Development Committee report #EC26.10, Request to Review Chapter 349, Animals Exception for Reptilia Zoo.
I understand that my comments and the personal information in this email will form part of the public record and that my name will be listed as a correspondent on agendas and minutes of City Council or its committees. Also, I understand that agendas and minutes are posted online and my name may be indexed by search engines like Google.
Thank you.