Interest in vet protest growing as word spreads
Second of two protests planned for Saturday
The second protest this week at Skyway Animal Hospital could draw 270 people, one of the organizers says.
Darlene Stevens of Niagara Falls said there has been a lot of interest in Saturday’s 11 a.m. demonstration against St. Catharines veterinarian Dr. Mahavir Singh Rekhi, who was caught abusing animals at the Welland Avenue hospital.
“We have been getting lots of calls, and I’m not surprised about the attention this is generating,” Stevens said. “We want a peaceful protest, and we want to bring attention to abused animals. We are hoping for good weather.”
Stevens is asking protesters to wear orange in a show of solidarity for abused animals.
A Facebook page set up for the demonstration has been shared 2,600 times.
Stevens said people are also angry at the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. She said the penalties the agency gave Rekhi amount to “a slap on the wrist.”
Rekhi’s licence was suspended by the college on Aug. 20 for 10 months, and he has been ordered to pay the college $10,000 after his employees registered a complaint and submitted videos of Rekhi hitting and choking animals in his care.
Rekhi can reduce his sentence to six months if he completes retraining that includes mentorships with two veterinarians, an online certificate program and a seminar and a one-day shadowing of another veterinarian.
Saturday’s group has had T-shirts made up saying: “Animals don’t have a voice so you will never stop hearing mine.”
Proceeds, about $5 per shirt, will go to the OSPCA, Stevens said.
Travis Lamb, owner of Mixed Styles on King Street in St. Catharines, has made about 60 of the T-shirts for the group.
“I’m glad they came to me,” he said. “I have animals myself, a dog, two cats, tons of squirrels in my backyard. I saw the videos. It makes me irate.”
Rekhi’s lawyer, Neil Abramson, said his client and his family have been threatened. Abramson said Rekhi has contacted the police. The clinic had also been vandalized. Rekhi has declined comment.
“The whole point is to be peaceful,” Stevens said of Saturday’s demonstration.
“We want him never to practice again. We want him charged, but we don’t want to encourage any violence in any way.
“That’s not going to help us. Our whole point is that you don’t hurt people or animals.”
On Monday, more than a hundred people turned up to a vigil outside the Welland Avenue animal hospital organized by Niagara Action for Animals and Brock Students for Animal Liberation. Many held candles and placards. Others brought their pets.
Meanwhile, there are online petitions demanding the College of Veterinarians of Ontario permanently revoke Rekhi’s licence. One of them has nearly 40,000 signatures. Another has more than 45,000 signatures.
Kevin Strooband of Lincoln County Humane Society, who is also an inspector with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has launched an investigation into Rekhi. He has police powers relating to animals and can lay criminal charges.
Jan Robinson, chief executive officer at the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, said the disciplinary panel that dealt with Rekhi is an arm’slength body made up of veterinarians and a member of the public.
The panel’s decision is binding, and there is no venue or opportunity for the college to reconsider the decision unless new information comes forward, she said.
We want him never to practise again. We want him charged, but we don’t want to encourage any violence in any way. That’s not going to help us. Our whole point is that you don’t hurt people or animals.” Darlene Stevens