News media muzzled by Ministry of Natural Resources

The news media has been banned from visiting Wildlife Rescue Centres in the province. This is an escalation of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) war on wildlife rescue. Since a number of Wildlife Rescue Centres went public about abuses by the MNR. The MNR has doubled down on Wildlife Rescue Centres in the province. Taking animals from centres and putting them in roadside zoos. Prohibiting the use of surrogates (using adults to raise orphaned young). Issuing fines about paper work. Delaying MNR paperwork and leaving centres in limbo. Taking forever to return messages and in some cases not returning them at all. Not allowing photos of wildlife, making it harder for fund raising.

Wildlife Rescue Centres are run by volunteers and receive no financial support from any level of government. We have lost almost 2/3 of the Wildlife Rescue Centres in Ontario. The province now has the lowest number of centres in the last 30 years.

In 2013 Kathleen Wynne promised to reform the system and help Wildlife Rescue in Ontario. Four Ministers of Natural Resources later, nothing has happened and conditions have only gotten worse. Only one of the last four Ministers would even meet with us and we were told that Wynne’s promises were only election promises so they do not count. As of the beginning of March the current Minister has refused to meet with Ontario Wildlife Rescue.

Media Contact

Sandy Donald
416-436-9892
sandy@ontariowildliferescue.ca