Parade participant defiant over displaying live sheep on floats

WINDSOR, Ont. — An Ontario man says he plans to keep using live sheep in his floats, despite receiving complaints following two parades on Canada Day.

For the past 11 years, Dave Szusz, publisher of the Windsor, Ont., edition of the Shepherd’s Guide, a directory of Christian businesses, has entered floats in local parades featuring a threemetre-tall blow-up statue of Jesus holding a baby sheep and four to six real sheep.

At Christmastime, his float also includes a manger with a real baby, Szusz said.

But on Canada Day last weekend, DJ and animal-rights activist Dan MacDonald posted on Facebook that the treatment of the sheep was depressing and he encouraged people to contact Szusz, which prompted a flood of complaints.

“It was a target against me, which is fine, they can go ahead and take me on,” said Szusz, adding he would go to court or do whatever he needs to to prove he had not hurt the sheep.

MacDonald said he didn’t see the float, but saw complaints about it — with photos and video — on social media.

“I thought it was kind of sad to see sheep out with very loud blasting music, out in the heat in the city,” he said.

“Animals being used as entertainment is something that always rubs me the wrong way.”

Szusz said there is a shelter on the float that keeps the sheep out of the sun and the music — which, he said, came from the float behind him — doesn’t bother them. He said he doesn’t understand MacDonald’s concern that sheep don’t belong in a city.

“Well, I mean, come on, why would that make a difference?” he said.

Some of the complaints reached the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society.

Its executive director, Melanie Coulter, said her organization is investigating, but hasn’t found any indication so far that the sheep were in distress.

In the meantime, the two men have talked and agreed that some of the complaints directed at Szusz were out of line, as they focused on his Christianity, rather than the sheep.

“Religion, for me, had absolutely nothing to do with this,” said MacDonald.

“I think what they were doing was just trying to find an excuse to complain,” Szusz said.

While MacDonald said he still hopes Szusz will stop using live sheep, Szusz said he plans to enter his float as usual in another parade next weekend.