'An ugly lie:' Ottawa Humane Society says they won't kill convoy protesters' pets

The Ottawa Humane Society is addressing misinformation online that it would seize and euthanize pets from "Freedom Convoy" demonstrators, calling it a "Big Lie."

A statement from Ottawa Humane Society President and CEO Bruce Roney comes after former U.S. politician Rudy Giuliani said on Twitter Monday that, "(Prime Minister) Trudeau has now decreed he will kill the dogs and cats of the protesting truckers."

Roney says misinformation online spiralled from "misinterpretations" of a tweet from Ottawa Bylaw on Feb. 17, that was directed at animal owners taking part in the demonstration in downtown Ottawa.

"If you are unable to care for your animal as a result of enforcement actions, your animal will placed into protective care for 8 days, at your cost. After 8 days, if arrangements are not made, your animal will be considered relinquished," Ottawa Bylaw said.

Roney says that tweet was misrepresented online that protesters' pets were to be confiscated and euthanized as "payback" for the protest.

"No humane society would agree to euthanizing pets out of spite," Roney said Friday.

"It was an ugly lie invented by someone with an agenda."

The Ottawa Humane Society has a contract with the city of Ottawa to provide temporary care for the pets of people who have been displaced by a fire, are hospitalized or evicted, or who are arrested.

"Frankly, the lie is absurd. No humane society would agree to euthanizing animals out of spite. No employee would ever participate in it," Roney said. "No one from the city or police would ever ask us to, but that didn’t stop the falsehood from spreading. Media called us, donors threatened us, the public demanded to know whose side we were on.

"Whose side were we on? The side of the animals."

Roney says one dog was brought to the Ottawa Humane Society from the convoy during the four-weekend demonstration, and was released to his owner the same day.