Jazzpurr Journal - Autumn 2004

Coming Up: A Whole Bunch of Great Events

Come and join us - we promise great times for all ages! Meet great people who love animals - just like you do! Learn something new! Eat delicious "cruelty-free" food! And, in the process, help support the great programs we have to help the animals of our community and the people who care for them!

Health and Wellness Fair: Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex
Adopting a cat is very healthy for you! Find out all the health benefits and everything else you wanted to know about adopting a (Jazzpurr) cat! October 22nd (6pm-9pm) and October 23rd (9am-4pm) at the beautiful Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex, 249 Sherk Street in Leamington.

T.H.E. W.A.L.K.
This Halloween Everyone Walk for Animal Love and Kindness on October 30th, from 9:30 am - 12:00 pm at the Malden Park, Windsor. This will be fun for all ages! If you wish, dress as your favourite animal and enter the "Parade of Animals". Celebrity judges will try to pick the best in each category. Gather Your Friends & Family For Lots of Hallowe'en Fun! Make teams; challenge other teams to see who can get the most sponsors.

It's our 13th banquet on November 13th at Essex Golf and Country Club, LaSalle. We're starting a bit earlier (3:30 for socializing and awards), then dinner and entertainment with the fabulous Crystal (Gauthier) Gage. Get a group of 8 and save on ticket prices! Of course, there will also be a silent auction of lovely and unique gifts - just in time for Santa!

Dorit Girash, to be recognized at a Star-Studded Hollywood Gala

The Board of Directors of Jazzpurr Society for Animal Protection is very proud to announce that its chair, Ms. Dorit M. Girash has been selected as a recipient of the "Guardian Award" presented annually by In Defense of Animals.

The award will be presented at a star-studded gala (Yes, she will be dining with the likes of Pierce Brosnan, Kim Bassinger, Dr. Jane Goodall, Keely Shaye Smith, Gretchen Wyle, Pat Derby, Ellen DeGeneres and more) to be held at the Beverly Hilton on October 30th, 2004. For further information, please visit: Guardian Awards and Guardian Campaign.

This award recognizes Ms. Girash for the work she did to facilitate the City of Windsor's inclusion of the term "guardian" in its animal control by-laws. Such small changes in language can have powerful effects in the way animals are treated within a community:

By publicly acknowledging animal companions as more than mere property supports the goal of no more homeless pets while alleviating pressure on shelters and rescuers and reducing costs
Cities and citizens that support the term"animal guardian" understand their responsibility to protect animals and people from harm
A city that asks its residents to view animal companions as more than property contributes to a public ethic that reinforces animal health and well-being
The common use of the term "guardian" on signs, forms, advertising and other public materials discontinues the past cultural vew of animals as private property with no public protection.
The term "guardian" more accurately represents the relationship most people have with their animal friends.

Ms. Girash is very honoured to receive this recognition but says: "I only made the presentation; Mayor Eddie Francis made it happen! So, this award actually recognizes the compassion of the mayor and the City of Windsor, not just my or Jazzpurr's work."

"HER DEATH CANNOT BE IN VAIN"

Notes: Dear Members and Friends: The letter below was sent to every member of Windsor City Council and Administration. As a bit of history, we became involved with Lise several years ago when the accounting firm for which she worked - Mancini and Partners - volunteered to do a pro-bono audit for us in support of a grant application. Some time later, Lise called on us to help her after she received a letter from Diane Sibley (Windsor Licencing Commissioner) threatening her with legal action for "harboring" too many cats. We placed Lise and her cats in both our foster care program and our feral fix program - but to no avail. The harassment from the neighbour persisted and the City of Windsor formally charged her and forced her to appear in court earlier this year. At the trial, Dr. Murray McMullen testified on behalf of Lise and lawyer Elizabeth Essex defended her (pro bono). Lise died before a verdict was issued.

    Yesterday, we received the awful news that Ms. Lise Masseau had died, apparently of suicide. You may recall that she was one of the feral care givers that appeared before you on September 22nd, 2003 pleading with you that you consider developing a mechanism whereby feral care givers would be able to provide responsible care to homeless animals without intimidation and harassment by intolerant and cruel neighbours or fear of city by-law enforcement proceedings. (Our presentation of that evening is attached for your information.)     Ms. Masseau was taking care of a colony of cats. Most of her neighbours supported and helped her. One harassed her. This one neighbour was validated and empowered by you to the point that Ms. Masseau was formally charged and taken to court. To my knowledge, she is the only person in recent history that was formally charged by you. Her supporting neighbours testified on her behalf; the complaining neighbour was not in court.

    We have learned that last week, Ms. Masseau found six of the feral cats dead. The report that I received was that while Ms. Masseau picked up and held one of the dead bodies, her complaining neighbour was grinning at her. The supporting neighbours state that the feelings of utter despair and powerlessness were overwhelming for Lise. They are, understandably, very upset with the complaining neighbour, and with City Hall.

    Ladies and gentlemen, we ask again that this stop. People who are caring for homeless animals need to be supported, not criminalized. They are doing what is right, what is natural, what is healthy.

Compassion can never be out-lawed, nor should it be.

    You may have read in the Windsor Star about Dr. Alan Beck's recent visit to the University of Windsor. Dr. Beck is a leading psychologist researching the Human-Animal Bond. He stated that which we know intuitively - that (although the current state of the literature is still sketchy) it is likely that the dislike of animals is a pathological condition. In addition, the Biophilia research informs us that our connection to animals is an inherent bio-psychological need and that frustration of that connection is causative of psychological and stress-related disorders.

    Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to stop validating and empowering those who are intolerant and cruel. In purely political terms - they are a very small minority (3% according to our survey). Yet, they make noise; they are demanding; they get attention. But they cause so much hurt! This cannot go on!

    Please, listen to the voices of compassion. The great majority of Windsorites support the no-kill solution. Please, allow those people who care for homeless animals to live without fear.

    We ask again that you consider a mechanism for validating and supporting the feral care givers. Other communities have done it; there is no reason Windsor cannot.

"I know that all the books say that some greyhounds are not cat friendly but something happened last night that I just had to share. A stray had kitties in our neighborhood around 2 weeks ago. Somehow a few of these kittens got into our backyard yesterday afternoon. I let Shani out to do her business and saw the most amazing thing. She was picking up each kittens one at a time in her mouth and taking them over to the fence so they could get out to their mother. The mother was too big to fit through the fence but the kitties weren't. Shani did this for each of the three kitties that were in our backyard. And when they were taking too long to go through the fence, she would nudge them with her nose. And this is from a dog that loves to chase anything and everything that moves in our backyard."

Feral and Stray Cat Care Givers' Club

There are thousands of people in Windsor and Essex County looking after stray and feral cats. It is a wonderful thing to do! It is the right thing to do! We humans must look after the animals in this world - it's our duty! We have a special obligation to those animals whom we've made dependent on us and then abandoned to fend for themselves - or who are vulnerable to abuse and violence - or suffering and starvation. Empathy and compassion are good things; not qualities to be shamed, ridiculed and out-lawed!

So we invite all of you who are caring for stray and feral cats to come together with other caring people exactly like you and share experiences, advice, stories, and support - once a month - here in our building in downtown Windsor.

Each month we will show you a videotape on an aspect of feral cat care (please see the list below). Our veterinary technician, Lynne Haydt will be available to answer any questions that you might have. But most importantly, you will have each other for friendship and support.

Meetings will be on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, at 6:30pm starting November 17th. We do ask that you let us know if you will be coming - 258-9299 or

A Very Special Foster Home is Needed

These absolutely delightful kittens need to go into a very special home - foster or adoptive. They need to be where there are no other cats and where there is a minimum of stress and commotion. These adorable babies have been found to be FeLV+. That means that they are currently carrying the virus that causes Feline Leukemia. They are totally healthy, playful, affectionate and delightful in every way and we are extremely hopeful that, with proper care, they will enjoy long, healthy lives. They need to be protected from other sources of infection, from other cats, and from stress.	Furby	Bella
	Ringo	Luna
	Bosco