Position Statements

Steralization
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society believes that sterilization is an important aspect of responsible companion animal care, both because it helps to combat overpopulation and because of the health and behavioural benefits to the animal. All dogs, cats and rabbits adopted from Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue are sterilized prior to going to their new homes, if they are old enough. If they are adopted prior to being spayed/neutered, our contract requires the new owner to have the surgery done when the animal is ready, at Meant 2B Loved’s expense.
TNR
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society (M2BL) supports evidence-based, effective and humane initiatives to reduce the population size and the impacts of free-roaming owned, abandoned and feral cats in order to promote animal health and welfare, public health and ecological and environmental health.
M2BL strongly opposes the use of feeding bans and trap-and remove/trap-and-kill methods as means of addressing the feline overpopulation problem. Instead, we endorse Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs, coupled with progressive municipal by-laws, as the most humane, effective and economically sound method of reducing cat overpopulation. In TNR programs, adult feral cats are trapped, sterilized, and then released back into their colony.
Sentient Beings
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society believes that many species of animals are sentient (can experience feelings in response to positive or negative stimuli). Consequently, the welfare of sentient animals must be considered as part of ethical decision-making; effort must be made to maximize positive experiences and minimize negative experiences. The needs of the species and the individual must be considered as part of animal care practices. Where there may be scientific uncertainty, an assumption of sentience should prevail because it is a key principle in formulating policy on animal welfare.
Alternative/Complementary Therapies
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society feels that the treatment of animals using complementary and/or alternative therapies and modalities, constitutes the practice of veterinary medicine and should be subject to similar standards as conventional veterinary medicine. Safety and efficacy should be demonstrated by scientific method and evidence-based principles and the practice of complementary and/or alternative therapies should be provided within the context of a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship.
Euthanasia
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society takes in hundreds of animals suffering from physical and behavioural problems. Care and treatment, preparing them for, and helping them find their forever homes, always has been, and always will be, our priority. Most animals we take in are treatable and we do not place a time limit on how long an adoptable animal can stay in our care if extended training/treatment is needed.
Meant 2B Loved does not euthanize healthy cats or dogs in our care. All medically and behaviourally healthy animals are placed in loving homes as quickly as possible. If an animal is having challenges finding a new home in our region, we may transfer them to a different rescue to provide the best opportunities for adoption.
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society encourages euthanasia only as a last resort, when it is in the best interest of the animal. The Rescue further believes that when an animal is euthanized the method used must be appropriate for the species, reliable, humane and must minimize fear, pain, and distress. Whenever possible, a Meant 2B Loved volunteer will stay with the animal during the process.
Dog Training
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society supports the use of training methods for dogs that are humane and based on current scientific knowledge of canine learning theory. Reward-based methods are highly recommended. Aversive methods are strongly discouraged in most circumstances as they do not address the underlying cause of the undesired behaviour and may cause fear, distress, anxiety, pain or physical injury to the dog.
Dog Importation
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue does not import animals from other countries or provinces and believes that importation of dogs into, and across, Canada should occur only after careful identification, assessment, and mitigation of individual and population-level risks to animal health, safety, and welfare; human health and safety; and ecosystem and wildlife health.
Animal welfare issues have been identified during transportation of dogs to Canada, by both land and air. Behavioural issues in dogs (e.g., animals demonstrating aggression, fear, anxiety, excessive vocalization, lack of house-training, etc.) resulting from inadequate socialization, training, and other causes, can result in dogs inflicting physical injury to people and other animals, financial and emotional stress for new owners, and ultimately relinquishment of adopted animals. These issues may be more common, or less readily recognized, in imported dogs given that many may have uncertain histories and/or may have been exposed to traumatic experiences before or during transport.
It should be noted that interregional movement of dogs within Canada is closely linked to, and often follows, importation. There is currently no system in Canada for tracking the origin of dogs once they have entered the country. This can present additional risk to animal health, safety, and welfare; human health and safety; and ecosystem and wildlife health at both the individual and population-level beyond that recognized at the point of entry.
There are currently very limited regulatory requirements for importation of dogs into Canada and Canadian veterinarians have expressed significant concerns about animal health and welfare associated with canine importation. A recent survey of Canadian veterinarians confirmed that imported dogs are regularly presented to clinics and that a variety of pathogens and parasites of both human and animal health concern are encountered, as are serious behavioral issues.
Microchips
Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society supports the permanent identification of small (companion) animals with radio-frequency identification (RFID) products that comply with standards of the International Standards Organization (ISO). M2BL believes that the implantation of a microchip should be carried out by a licensed veterinarian or where permitted by regulatory authorities, either a staff member under the supervision or guidance of a veterinarian, or by a trained individual following a protocol provided by a licensed veterinarian. All animals adopted from Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue will be microchipped at the time of their spay/neuter surgery or prior to adoption.

