The Fur-Bearers is holding a Special General Meeting on May 21, 2025, at 5 pm Pacific Time (8 pm Eastern Time) via Zoom to vote on the election of a potential board member.
All are welcome to attend, but only voting members will be allowed to vote. The candidate for election is Jane Young. You can read her biography below. Voting members will receive an email with instructions on how to vote via secure, online form.
Please click here to register now.
If you have any questions or are unsure of your membership status, please email us at [email protected] or call 604-435-1850.
About Jane Young
Jane is a passionate botanist and lifelong advocate for animals. Her work blends science, compassion, and decades of volunteer leadership in humane advocacy.
I was born and raised in Toronto and have lived in Prince George for most of the years since 1995. I attended York University (BSc in Biology), University of Guelph (MSc in Botany), and University of Toronto (PhD in Botany).
Professionally, I was a Tutor of Forest Biology at the University of Toronto before moving to Prince George for a faculty position in botany at the University of Northern British Columbia. My teaching and research covered the areas of plant physiology and anatomy, aquatic plant biology, and ethnobotany.
However, my heart and mind have always pulled towards non-human animals which led me to retire early so that I could give more time and energy to helping them.
I have been a lover of animals since I was a toddler when dogs and cats would follow me around and be comfortable in my presence (lucky me!). My animal advocacy started as a child on “Tag Day” for the Toronto Humane Society. In later years as a volunteer, in addition to dog walking and cat socializing at our local shelter, I have been Community Council Chair of the North Cariboo District Branch, BC SPCA (2016-17), Chair of the Cariboo & North Regional Council, BC SPCA (2023-present), Chair of Woman for Humane Canada (2018-22) (and continue to be a member); and Head of Pets Too (2018-22) (a program that raised funds to purchase and deliver pet food to 11 food banks in Muskoka, Ontario). I am also a supporter of Animal Justice.
Over the years, one of my passions has been to help to shut down puppy mills. Another has been to raise awareness of the Violence Link and the creation of pet safekeeping programs. As a member of the Canadian Violence Link Coalition, I am learning so much about the Violence Link and how to help individuals flee violence with their animals.
Respecting and protecting animals in the wild have always been important to me as I am a lover of all animals and of nature in general. My becoming a member of The Fur-Bearers has allowed me to learn more about their incredible work and it would be an honour to help them further with their mission. In my twenties, I wrote a report for the Toronto Humane Society entitled “There is no such thing as a humane trap.” It was a difficult piece to write, but it instilled in me a deep respect for fur-bearers and the need to change our laws and perceptions regarding their sentience and humane treatment.
In general, my advocacy has grown and expanded into learning about animal protection law, educating the public and government officials, working with like-minded people who want to put animals more firmly on the map, and essentially “thinking outside the box” to make effective change for animals. I plan to dedicate the rest of my life to making Canada and the rest of the world a more humane place for all animals.
My “kids” have been dogs, and I have had the great privilege of being guardian of wonderful Shannon, Co-Coa, Dudley, Muff, Nugget, Jake, and Pebbles (a sweet, inspiring puppy mill survivor) (RIP all of you). Currently, my husband, Dave, and I are guardians of 11-year-old adorable Marty, who we adopted from the BC SPCA two years ago.
