BERGER BLANC CRUELTY – Campaign Against Berger Blanc And All For-Profit Private Pounds in Quebec
In February and March 2011, a SPA Canada undercover investigator worked at the Montreal pound, the Berger Blanc, and experienced the horror of it. In collaboration with Radio-Canada, the investigation lasted 6 weeks. During this investigation several shocking events were detected, including the euthanasia practices of the for-profit company.
Following this investigation, the report “Mauvais Berger” was broadcast on the program Enquête de Radio-Canada on April 21, 2011. The report has angered Quebecers and even overseas.
Then followed an unprecedented campaign by SPA Canada to force the boroughs of the city of Montreal and cities with contracts with the Berger Blanc to stop their contract with this company. SPA Canada went even further to put pressure on all Quebec cities to stop contracting for-profit pounds and to create animal centers managed by the cities. Demonstrations, boycotts, mobilization, storm of emails and even the creation of an artistic work donated to the mayor of the city of Montreal have been accomplished.
Thanks to this strategy, SPA Canada has achieved the feat of making one of its campaigns (campaign against for-profit pounds in Quebec, including the Berger Blanc in Montreal) the second most covered news in the Quebec media of 2012 according to CTV News.
On October 18, 2012, the city of Montreal gave in to pressure from SPA Canada and the public and announced the creation of an animal center managed by the city at an estimated cost of $ 23 million.
Watch the report “Mauvais Berger” from Radio-Canada: