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PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 82, Issue 72 | www.dailybulletin.ca EDUCATION
Teacher job action begins Phase 1, administrative job action began today in Kimberley schools C AROLYN GR ANT editor@dailybulletin.ca
Nelson is recovering at the East Kootenay SPCA, though he will be forever traumatized.
BARRY COULTER PHOTO
Cat survives horrific act of torture Animal cruelty is widespread and common, even in the East Kootenay, SPCA says BARRY COULTER
Nelson is one tough cat. He is recovering at the East Kootenay SPCA after having survived a hideous act of animal cruelty. Today, Wednesday, April 23, is Animal Abuse Prevention Day, and Nelson’s presence is a stark reminder that acts of animal abuse are widespread and commonplace everywhere, including here in the East Kootenay. “We’ve seen some crazy things,” said Brenna Baker, Manager of the East Kootenay SPCA. “We want people to be aware that things like this are happening here.” Baker said the BCSPCA started Animal Abuse Prevention Day in 2012 to get people talking about
the subject, in the aftermath of the Whistler Sled Dog incident, in which an employee of a sled dog company was ordered to shoot more than 50 healthy dogs after a downturn in the business. As for Nelson, what some human subjected him to almost defies belief. “Someone stopped by on Thursday,” Baker said. “They said they had seen a cat by the side of the road. One of the staff went out there three times, and finally caught him, in a net. We rushed him to the vet.” Nelson (named after Willie Nelson’s ‘The Highwayman’), had been shot in the head seven times with a pellet gun and had had his neck sliced at. “The vet thinks someone had tried to cut his head off,” Baker said. The good news is that Nelson will survive and recover, although he will forever be traumatized by the horrific event. He is already becoming more active, eating at his bowl of food and hissing at
strangers who approach with cameras. The bad news is that cases like this are not uncommon. “There are many cases around here,” Baker said, adding that the local SPCA has one Animal Cruelty Officer who serves both the East and West Kootenays — a large territory for one. He is sometimes assisted by an officer out of the Okanagan, but they too are very busy up there, Baker said. Province-wide, the SPCA investigated more than 8,000 cases of animal abuse in 2013. Nelson’s vet bills will be high — over $1,000 — and will include dental work. Anyone wishing to donate to help the SPCA cover the bill can call 250-426-6751. The SPCA is located just east of Cranbrook on Highway 3/95. The SPCA will also be fundraising to get new stainless steel cages for the cats. A respiratory illness recently swept through the cat population, due to the existing old wooden cages, Baker said. Thus, no cats were available for
adoption for two weeks. The SPCA has a list of tips to help prevent animal abuse: • Don’t be a bystander — Report animal cruelty to the BC SPCA’s toll-free hotline at 1-855-6227722; • Take responsibility for the animals in your life; • Speak up for animals — send a message to your local elected officials to let them know how important it is to have strong animal protection legislation, as well as resources for animal cruelty law enforcement and prevention work; • Teach kids that kindness counts; • Learn about the violence link — Animals of often not the only victims of abuse. There is a strong connection between animal cruelty and other forms of violence such as bullying and domestic abuse. if you have any information on this case please call the BCSPCA East Kootenay at 250421-7861.
Kimberley’s teachers, along with their BCTF colleagues across the province, began Phase 1 job action today. The job action comes after teachers rejected the latest offer from the B.C. Public Schools Employers Association, an offer BCTF president Jim Iker called “lowball”. Teachers voted 89 per cent in March to endorse a three-stage strike plan. The first phase, which began today, should have no affect on students, says Sally Struthers of the Kimberley Teachers Association. “Phase 1 is administrative in nature,” she said. “Teachers will do no mandated supervision outside of the classroom. That means no supervision at noon hour, recess or before and after classes. Teachers won’t attend meetings with administration or provide or receive written communication.” Struthers explained that teachers would still speak to administrators if they wanted a one on one conversation. Teachers are also limiting time spent at school. They won’t arrive at school more than an hour before classes or stay an hour later than classes end. But teachers are still performing voluntary duties such as coaching. In that case, if coaching requires staying longer than an hour after instruction, teachers will do so, Struthers says. “This will have minimal impact on students and parents,” she said. “We will continue to teach, write report cards and meet with parents.” Phase 2 of the job action would see rotating strikes across the province, one day a week. Struthers says there is on timeline on when the job action may ramp up to Phase 2, but teachers are prepared to do what they must to get to a negotiated settlement. “Teachers are prepared to do what needs to be done if the government doesn’t bring something to the table. We are still $1000 per student below the national average for funding, and the government is still asking for concessions.” Phase 3 of job action involves a full-scale strike and would require a second vote by BCTF members.