Chicken Killed at Calgary Art School: Take Action!

Wikimedia Commons

BACKGROUND | SOURCE CETFA

Last Thursday, on April 18, a student at the Alberta College of Art and Design brought a live chicken into the school’s cafeteria. In front of spectators, the student slowly cut the throat of the writhing and screaming bird. The student proceeded to bleed the chicken out, remove the head and feathers and drop the bird into a pot–all under the guise of performance art.

Art never justifies harming and inflicting fear, pain and suffering upon another sentient being. The student`s actions must be recognized as what they are: blatant abuse and cruelty inflicted upon a defenceless animal.

Further, the student`s actions may be a sign of psychopathology. A large body of research indicates that those who inflict pain and suffering upon human victims start by inflicting it upon non-human animals.

It is important that the student who committed this cruelty be prosecuted by authorities and disciplined by the school (along with undergoing mandatory psychological treatment).

1. Contact the Alberta College of Art and Design to urge the school to discipline the student who committed this act of cruelty, adopt a formal policy prohibiting animal cruelty. Also request that the school take steps to counteract the unacceptable message of cruelty and violence promoted by this student’s actions and invite CETFA`s humane educator to give a presentation to students, faculty and staff.

2. Contact the Chief of Calgary Police Service, the Chief Crown Prosecutor, the Alberta SPCA and the Calgary Humane Society, and politely urge them to lay charges against the student as Section 2 of Alberta’s provincial Animal Protection Act prohibits causing an animal to be in distress (defined in s.1(2) as including animals that are injured, in pain, suffering, abused or subjected to undue hardship).


WHOM TO CONTACT

Email block

president@acad.ca ; AnneMarie.Dorland@acad.ca ; cps@calgarypolice.ca ; lloyd.robertson@gov.ab.ca ; execdir@albertaspca.org ; general.inquiries@calgaryhumane.ca ; admin@calgaryhumane.ca

Individual
Alberta College of Art and Design
Dr. Daniel Doz, President and CEO
1407-14 Ave NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 4R3
Email : president@acad.caPhone: 403.284.7670
Fax: 403.338.5575

Anne Marie Dorland, Director of Communications
Email: AnneMarie.Dorland@acad.ca
Phone: 403.284.7656

Rick Hanson, Chief of Calgary Police ServiceCalgary Police Service5111 47 St. N.E.

Calgary, Alberta T3J 3R2
Email: cps@calgarypolice.ca
Phone: 403-428-5900

Lloyd Robertson, Chief Crown Prosecutor
600 Centrium Place
332-6 Ave. S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0B2
Email: lloyd.robertson@gov.ab.ca
Phone: 403-297-8444
Fax: 403-297-4311

Alberta SPCA
Terra Johnston, Executive Director
10806 – 124 Street NW
Edmonton, AB  T5M 0H3
Email: execdir@albertaspca.org
Phone: 780-447-3600
Fax: 780-447-4748

Calgary Humane Society
Mark Takhar, Executive Director
Brad Nichols, Manager of Animal Cruelty Investigations
4455 110th AVE SE
Calgary, Alberta T2C 2T7
Email: general.inquiries@calgaryhumane.ca or admin@calgaryhumane.ca
Phone: 403-205-4455
Fax: 403-723-6050


SAMPLE LETTER

To Whom It Concerns,

On April 18, a student at the Alberta College of Art and Design brought a live chicken into the school’s cafeteria. In front of spectators, the student slowly cut the throat of the writhing and screaming bird. The student proceeded to bleed the chicken out, remove the head and feathers and drop the bird into a pot–all under the guise of performance art.

Art never justifies harming and inflicting fear, pain and suffering upon another sentient being. The student`s actions must be recognized as what they are: blatant abuse and cruelty inflicted upon a defenseless animal.

Further, the student`s actions may be a sign of psychopathology. A large body of research indicates that those who inflict pain and suffering upon human victims start by inflicting it upon non-human animals.

It is important that the student who committed this cruelty be prosecuted by authorities and disciplined by the school (along with undergoing mandatory psychological treatment).

I am urging the school to discipline the student who committed this act of cruelty and to adopt a formal policy prohibiting animal cruelty. I am also requesting that the school take steps to counteract the unacceptable message of cruelty and violence promoted by this student’s actions and invite CETFA`s (Canadians for the Ethical Treatment of Farm Animals) humane educator to give a presentation to students, faculty and staff.

I am also contacting the Chief of Calgary Police Service, the Chief Crown Prosecutor, the Alberta SPCA, and the Calgary Humane Society, and politely urging them to lay charges against the student under Section 2 of Alberta’s provincial Animal Protection Act, which prohibits causing an animal to be in distress (defined in s.1(2) as including animals [who] are injured, in pain, suffering, abused, or subjected to undue hardship).

Thank you for taking the time to consider this urgent appeal.

why upon us do you test,
rob us of our lives,
our chances to nest.to whom i hope this concerns.
what madness here,
it is very clear.
that life is something
some do not
hold dear.
as an artist, i know
that art is not about
blood spilling.
art is about beauty,
and kindness,
so thrilling.
but the insanity of
this act
is far colder than
chilling.
this student is headed
down a twisted path,
serial killer, or murderer,
trapped by his own
inner wrath.

Karen Lyons Kalmenson