Oh Canada

I am a dog lover. My elderdog sleeps on my bed and my two younger dogs sleep in their own toddler beds beside me each night. The ornamental wrought iron candle holders by my wood stove are usually draped with leashes and harnesses. Every jacket I own has at least one poop bag in its pocket and I'm on a first name basis with all the staff at our favourite animal clinic.
I am a cat lover. My eldercat is allowed on my kitchen table and my younger ones all sleep on my bed. I could hire out to haunt a house with my hair in the morning .... but I always wake up to purrs and small kisses. Every sweater I own has a pulled thread or two and I never have to identify myself when I call the vet clinic.
I am a bird lover. My bird feeders are hung high up on a chain that is strung between two trees ... and the feeders are never hung close to the trees. I keep my barn kitties well fed at all times and the ground around the feeders is kept trimmed and neat. I can tell you first hand that healthy, vaccinated and altered ferals pose no risk to birds ... not when there are easier pickings with mice on the ground.
I am a wildlife lover. Its a shame I'm not much of a photographer with all the wildlife we get here. With three ponds and a yard full of both native and cultivated greenery, my yard easily passed muster to become a designated wildlife habitat.
I am an animal lover and I am Canadian. So until that day when our animal cruelty laws are specific enough to dam up the loopholes ... and that time when appropriate penalties are applied for successful prosecutions .... and it becomes socially unacceptable to be an irresponsible pet owner .... I will continue to scold our politicians at every level.
Because I am more than an animal lover and a Canadian ..... I am a grandmother who wants my granddaughter's generation to wonder why it took us so long to stop being barbarians
To ask for changes to the criminal code and in particular to let your MP and our federal government know that you strongly support Bill C-229 , find contact info Members of Parliament (Current)
To ask the NS government for more meaningful resources and to tighten up the animal cruelty law loopholes so that the society can address some of the most pressing advocacy and cruelty issues - Members - Constituencies
To find your municipal website and contact information to discuss animal control bylaws with your councillors http://www.unsm.ca/membership-directory/
Or, in the words of the "other' I am Canadian Speech, made in 1960 by Diefenbaker when he was quoting the (then) Canadian Bill of Rights
"I am a Canadian,
free to speak without fear,
free to worship in my own way,
free to stand for what I think right,
free to oppose what I believe wrong,
or free to choose those
who shall govern my country.
This heritage of freedom
I pledge to uphold
for myself and all mankind."
From the Canadian Bill of Rights,July 1, 1960.