Author Topic: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!  (Read 14938 times)

Kiahpyr

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Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« on: August 01, 2006, 11:08:46 am »
Subject: Please help Shire by boycotting McCains products

Please crosspost widely.

In brief:
The deWeerd family moved from Ontario to the village of Florenceville, NB with their elderly Rottweiler named Shire. Shire is a therapy dog.
The deWeerds did everything right before moving; they asked the Florenceville village clerk if the village had breed specific legislation and she said no. The deWeerds purchased and received a dog license for Shire; the application specified Shire's breed. Contrary to the village clerk's statements, Florenceville does have breed specific legislation. However, the village council doesn't impose its breed specific legislation on the two Rottweilers living there that belong to "old families". The Florenceville village council has issued a warrant for Shire's death, and Shire has been moved into hiding to save her life.

The village mayor and council refuse to answer or even acknowledge any correspondence on the matter of Shire.

Shire is upset and lonely without her owners. She is elderly, and this relocation is stressing her greatly. Shire has done nothing to deserve a death sentence. If the deWeerds had been correctly advised by the village clerk, they would not have moved to Florenceville.

McCains Foods, the primary employer in Florenceville and the employer of one of Shire's owners, was asked to approach council to discuss the matter, and has refused. You and I know that the primary employer in a one-horse town has significant power. McCains' refusal to approach council on behalf of responsible owners and their unoffending dog, and Florenceville's refusal to lift its unfounded and unjust death sentence on Shire, precipitated by the village clerk's gross errors in stating there was no breed specific legislation and then issuing a dog license for Shire, leave me with the only course of action which I have already started.

I ask you to join me in a boycott of McCains and subsidiary products, and I ask that you write McCains to advise them that you are boycotting their products until Shire's unfounded and unjust death sentence is lifted and she is allowed to live out her days with her owners in Florenceville.

Please boycott all McCains, Day & Ross Companies & Wing Wong Foods,and write a note to McCains on their contact page -

McCain Retail - Contact Us

http://www.mccain.ca/framework/ContactUs/ContactUs_Form.asp

to let them know you will not purchase any of these products until Shire's death sentence is lifted.

Boycotting frozen french fries, pizza, desserts and beverages...ch anging from supermarket meats to local butcher meats....chang ing your brand of bread....these are not big steps for an individual to take. But if we all take these steps, we can use our consumer power to let a global conglomerate know our disappointment with their lack of response, and let a village council know our disapproval of its action in imposing an unfounded and unjust death sentence on a dog that has done no wrong.

Feel free to crosspost
« Last Edit: August 01, 2006, 11:14:22 am by Tajsa »

Offline LuvmyMal

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2006, 11:16:45 am »
that makes me sick, they should give a trial period on the dogs and not judge so quickly.

Kiahpyr

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2006, 11:24:21 am »
Oops! I didn't check the link first. Here's the link to the home page. You can get to the contact page from there. I know bpo is very powerful with sending emails, so get those fingers typing!

http://www.mccain.ca/framework/builder.aspx?page=home&partition=1

Offline NoDogNow

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2006, 11:42:21 am »
I am DEVASTATED.  Because McCain's brands in the US include Ore-Ida--they bought Ore-Ida and Simplot's both out a few years ago.  All the French fries made in my hometown are now being made and sold by these soulless jerks!

So be sure that while you're emailing them about what you're going to boycott, make sure you tell them that here in the US, we will be boycotting the following frozen food brands in addtion to the McCain's umbrella brand: 

ORE-IDA
HEINZ (this includes ketchup and all condiments)
ANCHOR
GOLDEN CRISP
POPPERS
BREW CITY
MOORE'S
ELLIO'S FROZEN PIZZA
JON-LIN

In addition, if this is going to have any impact, we need to flood the customer service contact boxes of all the major fast food chains--McDonald's, etc.--and tell them that because McCain's supports breed specific legislation, we're not going to be eating any more French fries.  French fries are one of the fast food industries most profitable food items--that's why more fries, not bigger burgers with a "supersized" meal. If we stop eating them, it's not only going to cost McCain's money, it's going to cost McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, etc. money.

Based on what I about ORE-IDA, having grown up THEIR company town, fast food sales are the vast majority of McCain's sales and profit. Grocery/retail is a drop in the bucket.

Go ahead and post this info to all the other boards, too, if you like.

LET'S HELP SHIRE.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2006, 11:46:43 am by NoDogNow »
Sheryl, Dogless and sad

doggylover

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2006, 02:13:19 pm »
that makes me sick, they should give a trial period on the dogs and not judge so quickly.
All breeds of dogs should have to endure this 'trial period' then.  My Rottweiler is a WUSSY next to every poodle I've ever met.  Maybe poodles should be put on a kill list.  Cocker spaniels bite too. They should be on a list.  Oh this makes me so mad.  There are no bad breeds, just really bad people. 

Kiahpyr

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2006, 02:15:03 pm »
« Last Edit: August 01, 2006, 02:15:22 pm by Tajsa »

Offline cosmosmama

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2006, 02:15:25 pm »
I have emailed them and added my opinion of this supporting such a cruel and unjust death sentence. >:( >:( >:( >:(
Krista, Cosmo (Goofus), Sadie (THE BOSS) and Sammie (Sweet Boy)
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
                                                Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline LuvmyMal

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2006, 12:14:51 am »
All breeds of dogs should have to endure this 'trial period' then.  My Rottweiler is a WUSSY next to every poodle I've ever met.  Maybe poodles should be put on a kill list.  Cocker spaniels bite too. They should be on a list.  Oh this makes me so mad.  There are no bad breeds, just really bad people. 

I agree my sister was attacked by a cocker and almost lost her lip. >:( I was visiting with a friend over the weekend and she has a wolf dog and you would have thought he was the smallest dog around, my girls play more rough than he does. (someone at work told me that they pray for me each night that my dogs dont attack me since they look like wolves, I told them that I pray each night that they get some commone sense) I have seen too many small dogs attack. Speaking of rotties, I saw the sweetest baby on Friday, I could have taken him home!

Offline Saintgirl

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2006, 06:43:51 am »
OK, I'm 100% against BSL, but i think that in this case the messages to McCains are not the best way to go. I think that it would have been nice for McCains to help stand up for the pup, but realistically speaking, if they do this for this town, then what are they going to be asked to do for each and every little town that they work in. I don't think it is truely as simple as not wanting to help, infact a friend of mine is one of THE McCains, and she would love to help, but everystep of the way they would have to have Lawyers and others examing their everystep that they would take. It isn't that this rotti isn't worth it, but that the redtape that is involved with a multibillion dollar corportation is far more extensive than we'd like to think it is. 
The real people to be angry at here is the town of Florenceville, namely the Mayor- Mr. David Morgan, his deputy mayor, Ms. Joyce Traffors and the councillors Susan Bushby, Paul Roy, and Nancy Whyte-McCauley. Emails sent to McCains are read by the HR department and are not even directed towards the people who do count, however, emails sent to the Mayor and his committee are read by council. I am in no way defending the McCains, but instead of boycotting their product I will add Florenceville to the list of communities that will be boycotted, and that I will endorse it as undogfriendly. And my email has been sent to the mayor of Florenceville, and I am awaiting a responce. You can reach them by email at villflor@nbnet.nb.ca 
or even a telephone call to 1-506-392-5249 or fax 1-506-6143. This community needs to hear how STUPID BSL is!!!
Leah, Hutch, and Abbey

Offline NoDogNow

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2006, 07:33:52 am »
I fully disagree.

Do not kid yourself about how much power a statement from "the company" in a company town is, even if it's by a member of the owner's family as a private citizen, and not as a spokesman for the company itself.

I grew up in Burley, Idaho, where there were for many, many years THREE potato processing plants--ORE-IDA Plants 1 and 2, and Simplot's Heyburn plant. The ORE-IDA people meddled mostly in Boise, but a mention that the drive from Boise was kind of long to visit Plant 2 while it was under construction resulted in an AIRPORT being built with local tax dollars. Someone named Simplot mentioned that they liked to play golf, and Burley, Idaho by god built TWO golf courses--one on either end of town! They even hired ARNOLD PALMER to design a course around the Snake River terrain.

If your McCain friend were to write a letter to the mayor/council of Florenceville saying she thinks breed specific laws and policies are unfair and ridiculous, citing some specific examples including Shire the Trained Therapy Dog, and copied the editor of the local paper, I'll bet you'd see some very quick changes in the local laws.

In the meantime, I say we all stop eating fries, and keep emailing them. Because McCain's DOES deliberately exploit workforces in small towns in rural areas where they're they've got the bully pulpit, and they DO influence politics in them. They also have influence in the statehouses of the rural states where the potatoes they process come from, and even some national governments. A public policy statement from a global company like McCain's that says "WE OPPOSE BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION" and refers people to the Vet Assoc. white paper on it would be a good thing.  Plus, if a fry boycott doesn't impact only McCain's--we impact every fast food chain that serves McCain's fries.  (There's no devil icon, but I need one here! ;)) If Shire could be the inspiration for a widespread french fry boycott, imagine the word of mouth it would create. Picture a crowded McDonald's at lunchtime. 

McDonald's worker:  "Would you like fries with that?"

You: "No, I'm boycotting fries and onion rings because the company who makes them for you supports anti-dog breed specific legislation."

Several people would be all about "What is that?  Why are you boycotting fries?" We could totally get the word out about why breed specific legislation is bad. Every single person here has examples of families with great dogs who are being unfairly treated because of other irresponsible dog OWNERS.

McDonald's, Burger King, etc., would NOT be happy.  Especially in places like Denver or Miami, where you could tie it directly to a local law:  "No.  I'm boycotting fries because the company who makes them for you supports unfair breed specific laws like the ban on pit bulls we have here." 

Let's DO IT. No more fries!
Sheryl, Dogless and sad

Offline lshelley21

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2006, 08:30:05 am »
Lauren, Jazmine (great dane)
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Calvin (ferret)
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Oh yeah.. my pet.. Matt (hubby)
Our pets are all above

Offline NoDogNow

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #11 on: August 02, 2006, 08:33:48 am »
Most companies won't get involved unless there's a push from either their Marketing department (because of negative sales or industry publicity) or their HR department (because of a grass roots employee approach.) But I taught in several schools where the district ended up having to take public positions on local laws because teachers started complaining to principals and district superintendent s.
Sheryl, Dogless and sad

Offline Saintgirl

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2006, 08:39:09 am »
I think you misunderstood Nodognow, I agree that huge companies can have big effects on small towns, I myself have lived in several of these little towns dominated by one company. However, we extreme dog lovers are not the norm in this world. Unfortunatley it is the truth, and we need to be able to convince others to stand beside us if we are going to fight BSL. If you told the rest of the population that you should boycott McCains because they won't help a rotti stay in N.B. the majority of these people are going to say oh, that's too bad, and then go on their way and buy a nice big juicy bag of fries, and not even give BSL a second thought. We need to find effective ways to fight BSL, and I don't believe boycotting a company that will not take a stand against BSL (even though that doesn't necessarily mean that they support it) solves the problem in New Brunswick.

In order to effectively fight BSL we need to get to the heart of the matter and convince the people who want these laws in effect that they are useless. Education is paramount in situations like these, yes, it will take time, however it isn't a band aid solution, it is a lasting one. We need to crack down on irresponsible dog ownership. We need to make laws that hold irresponsible owners responsible when their dog bites. Luckily, these small towns that create BSL are bylaw hungy, and it is easier to convince them to change a bylaw promoting BSL to one that convicts irresponsible owners instead of trying to convince them to entirely abolish a law. Boycotting McCains is only a band aid, New Brunswick has many little towns that support BSL, if we can convince the town to drop BSL for honest reasons based on education instead of 'BECAUSE MCCAINS SAID SO' other small towns may take notice and do the same, and then maybe entire Canadain provinces may realize how foolish BSL is. Is this a dream of mine? YES!! But I honestly think that this can work, and daily I work with others to help educate people on why BSL does not work.

I entirely agree that it would be wonderful to have a spokesperson like McCains to back us up on our stand against BSL, however it isn't their fault that the town chose to implement BSL. It is the town that chose to accept it, and the reason that it passed is because it was not protested when the bylaw was brought forward to the town on one council evening.

Eastjenn, eastern Canada is slowly becoming consumed by BSL. All of Ontario, several places in Quebec, much of New Brunswick, and several places in Nova Scotia. Many of these places are small towns. I have yet to hear a large company take a stand against BSL. Several times individauls from large companies have stepped forward to voice their concerns over BSL, but not as representative s of their company. It would be great to have an entire company back us up, but unfortunatley BSL is not what their buisness is involved in and they chose to not become involved. One of the main reasons that I believe these companies won't step in is because if you ask the majority of these people in these small towns whether pitbulls are dangerous, they will say yes, and half of them wouldn't know a boxer from a staffy from a mix with a blocky head. Unfortunatley the majority of these towns support BSL. Halifax has been watching BSL very closely, and we are generally a very dog friendly city, however our major paper ran a poll and still over 50% voted FOR BSL. Luckily several groups of dog folk have been working with our municipality to prevent these things from happening here.

Sorry this was so long winded, it is just one of my things, and I become very passionate about BSL. I don;t mean to offend anyone who supports boycotting McCains, do what you feel you have to do to help with the fight against BSL, I am only voicing my own opinion.
Leah, Hutch, and Abbey

Offline NoDogNow

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2006, 09:11:49 am »
Quote
Education is paramount in situations like these,

It's one of my things too. Which is why I think a boycott is a good grass roots idea. 

You're right, most people are going to going to buy the fries. 

But I just now went down the block to the dreaded McDonald's and ordered a Big Mac with Cheez and announced that I was boycotting the fries. Since it was the height of the lunch rush, I got at least 10 of the 40 people that were standing in line to listen to WHY I was boycotting the fries, explaining the story of Shire the Certified Therapy Dog, whose owner took a job with McCain's; was misinformed about the law; and now nobody, including anybody at the company he moved for will help him save his dog's life, just because she's a rottie.  I told them thatlaws that require that dogs be put down just because of their breed, regardless of how many awards or how many certifications they have, is breed specific legislation.  I told them that they could Google breed specific legislation when they got back to their desks, and learn why the American Vet Assocation is against it. And I suggested that if they thought that it was a bad idea, they should boycott fries too, and tell people why.

Maybe 2 of those people will pass the word along. And so on.

Ask any business person:  Word of Mouth is absolutely the most effective kind of advertising.  If we want to educate the general public about breed specific legislation and why it's bad, we have to get the word out--and a word of mouth campaign is the way to go.

I doubt we get enough people to stop eating fries for long enough for McCains or McDonald's to feel any impact, other than to possibly annoy local and district managers when their fry sales dip.  But if we can get 10 out of 40 people to listen to WHY we're not eating fries and tell them how to learn about it, it's a step in the right direction, don't you think?

Quote
« Last Edit: August 02, 2006, 09:30:47 am by NoDogNow »
Sheryl, Dogless and sad

Offline Saintgirl

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Re: Another sad story of BSL: PLEASE HELP!
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2006, 09:17:15 am »
Absolutley! Educating the public on why BSL is foolish is 100% a step in the right direction. We are just walking different paths, that's all! But we have the same goal in mind, and that is truely what matters the most.
Leah, Hutch, and Abbey