Halton Hills Newspapers

Independent & Free Press (Georgetown, ON), 24 May 2011, p. 1

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Georgetown's Jake Wood lands scholarship at U.S. college hockey factory PAGE 12 OFF TO RPI HOME, LAWN & GARDEN Look inside today's special section for tips to improve your home INSIDE www.theIFP.ca Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper serving Acton & Georgetown 32 Pages 50 Cents (+HST) UCHS decision angers ex-officer, volunteers By LISA TALLYN Staff Writer Milking Moonica is udderly ridiculous Three-year-olds Will Dunn and Makenna Kostichuk got a chance to milk Moonika the cow (an eco-friendly simulation) during its recent visit to Maple Nursery School at Cedarvale Park. Part of the Dairy Farmers of Canada's educational program, it's the second year that Moonika has traveled across the province to interact with children and espouse the benefits of milk. Photo by Eamonn Maher The Upper Credit Humane Society's (UCHS) decision not to renew its affiliation with the OSPCA will impact Halton Hills, a former animal control officer with the organization told Town council recently. Jim Waldbusser, who was an UCHS animal control officer at the time he made the presentation at a recent council meeting but has since resigned, said he was appearing before council "unauthorized" and that he had a "gag order" on him. But despite that, he said, while he's been told the fact the UCHS didn't renew its affiliation with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) will mean no changes, except to animal cruelty investigations, he's not convinced. "I tend to dispute that," said Waldbusser. "I think some of the changes that are taking place will affect Halton Hills." Waldbusser said the UCHS's district lines have disappeared as a result of the decision made in February so his district as animal control officer has also disappeared. He said Kathy Yorke, the UCHS' board chair, has decided to continue calling the organization a humane society when it "is not actually a humane society." "She has everybody hoodwinked on this and it really bugs me," said Waldbusser, who resigned over that issue, be- lieving it's deceptive. He's concerned that people will be making monetary donations to the UCHS, thinking it's a humane society, when he said it's not. He estimates there are approximately 609 calls a years in Halton Hills on animal issues. "If this board chair decides to totally withdraw from Halton Hills who is going to cover all these calls? It's a very disconcerting situation." Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette asked if the UCHS board supported the decision not to renew the affiliation with the OSPCA, Waldbusser said the board chair brought in new members and some old members subsequently quit. "The entire board is anti-OSPCA," said Waldbusser. He said the UCHS kitten program has been decimated since the decision was made, down from 30 volunteers to only two today. Yorke who wasn't at the meeting said on Wednesday Waldbusser didn't have a gag order on him, and that, he has the right to free speech. "The Upper Credit Humane Society is continuing to serve the communities it's served since 1995," said Yorke, adding that includes Acton and Georgetown, Glen Williams, Rockwood, Erin, Hillsburgh, Ballinafad, Ospringe and associated villages. "Nothing's changed," stressed Yorke. See COVERAGE, pg. 5 Vi s i t o u r s h o w r o o m · your window & door professionals · 341 Guelph St., Unit 3 Georgetown 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca · awarded readers choice 16 times · 33 MOUNTAINVIEW RD. N., GEORGETOWN 905-877-6944 7e HANDLE ALL INSURANCE work. sTruck Accessories s5PHOLSTEry s(Eavy %QUIPMENT 'LASS s7INDow 4INTING 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown (905) 873-1655

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