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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, June 25, 2014 | 6 Sending a message Sometimes the only way to bring attention to an issue or situation is to bring it to light. Sometimes the most effective means in bringing an issue to light is for people to see or experience it. As Oakville's newspaper of record, we cover the news and issues that are important to our community. We take our role in the community seriously and always try to meet it responsibly and with the best interests of our readers in mind. In so doing, there are times we face challenges in where we draw lines. How much is too much? How do we paint a picture that needs to be communicated, but is too gruesome for some or, perhaps, even most in our community? Last week, we faced such a dilemma. Over the past month or so, the Oakville and Milton Humane Society (OMHS) discovered raccoons and other wildlife caught in lethal traps. In only one of a handful of incidents was the outcome positive for the animals involved. In the remainder of the instances, the animals paid with their lives after much suffering. The OMHS contacted us with an urgent message it needed to get out to readers. We exist, in part, to assist our community, particularly an agency that does so much good in our town and is very much respected by residents. We followed up and the OMHS held back little. It was forthcoming with details and explanations of the unacceptable cruelty being meted out randomly by some residents in misguided and, perhaps, thoughtless attempts to eliminate rather than co-exist with urban wildlife. There were photos -- some far too graphic to share, others that were shared with warnings. Our job is to convey this problem to the community with the hope of effecting positive change. It did not come about without struggle. For some, the hard-hitting truth is considered the shock value that's needed to get through to people -- and to adequately inform those who don't know such cruelty is occurring in their own backyard. Others believe our community is savvy, people understand without the need to shock them, and, in so doing, offend readers or downright scare youngsters. It's a ne -- and dif cult -- balance. But cruelty -- in all its forms -- is not acceptable. It does exist, though, and the best way to change that is to bring it to light. While opinions may differ on how that occurs, we can all agree the issue should be addressed and the offenders punished. Laws need to be strengthened to protect animals -- whether wildlife or our pets. They deserve so much better protection than what the current laws afford. No sooner had the raccoon trapping story appeared on our website, we learned of another case where two dogs were left in a hot car while the owner was attending a festival. Two other dogs were also rescued in town over the weekend. The OMHS is a proud frontrunner in successfully pursuing animal rights justice. It is sharing the recent raccoon trapping stories to make change. The OMHS should not have to be that lone voice in the wilderness. It deserves the full backing of our community and, one day, laws that provide real change in how we treat our animal neighbours and friends. Editorial A L L H E A R T "Connected to your Community" 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 75 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS The Heart & Stroke Foundation's Big Bike fundraiser rolled into Oakville Thursday with eight teams taking up the challenge to bring awareness and funding to the foundation. The Town of Oakville team was top fundraiser, bringing in $5,400 to the cause. The team's captain (front left on the big bike) was John Wong, a heart attack survivor now undergoing cardiac rehab. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production I'm speaking for those who can't David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff My View SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution L ast week the Oakville & Milton Humane Society (OMHS) issued a warning that lethal traps were being used in Oakville neighbourhoods in an apparent effort to solve problems some residents are having with raccoons. The three trapping incidents, which occurred in late May and earlier this month, saw conibear traps used to ensnare two raccoons in Westmount and west Oakville. A third raccoon, a baby, was caught in a leg-hold trap in the River Oaks community. One raccoon was found dead, while the OMHS had to euthanize the other two to end their suffering. I know raccoons are not always the most likable animals. They knock over garbage cans, can ruin people's gardens and can do real damage if they take up residence in an attic. That said, I nd it inconceivable local residents would use these horrible traps and cause such pain to solve wildlife con icts. When triggered, a conibear body grip trap clamps onto an animal, crushing its body. It is in- tended to kill the animal quickly, but guess what? It doesn't always work that way. This month, the OMHS was alerted to a raccoon wandering down a west Oakville street that was caught in a conibear trap. It was euthanized immediately to put it out of its misery. Such cruelty. One humane society employee said memories of the suffering animal would stay with her. The OMHS took pictures of the animal and the one in the leg-hold trap and sent them to the Oakville Beaver . These images were graphic and stirred much debate within the newsroom as to whether they should be published or shown online. Ultimately, it was decided the pictures were too upsetting to be shared. No animal deserves to suffer -- and surely not because it knocked over a garbage can. OMHS spokesperson Brenda Dushko pointed out even if you do not like raccoons, there is nothing to stop these traps from catching someone's dog or cat or small child for that matter. I support the OMHS as it recommends citizens shop around for humane and reputable wildlife control companies when dealing with a wildlife issue on their property. I would go one step further and call for a ban on traps that cause the extended and horri c suffering of an animal. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is investigating these incidents and anyone with information about them is asked to call 905-8451551, ext. 31. CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. 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