Our hearts are full! The Summer Compassion Challenge has come to an end and was a smashing success thanks to our compassionate supporters. Together, we raised $50,114—and with the first $15,000 in new monthly gifts being matched by a generous donor,…
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False animal welfare claims are rampant in Canada This week, Animal Justice submitted comments to the Government of Canada regarding its proposed changes to labelling requirements in the Food and Drug Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. Animal…
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Animal Justice has been granted intervener status in a case challenging the removal of anti-Canada Goose ads from Toronto transit shelters. The case could have broad implications for animals, and will decide whether animal advocates have the right to advertise…
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For the first time in Canadian history, a law journal is dedicating an entire issue to the growing field of animal law. The 2019 issue of the Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law is entitled Beyond Humanity: New Frontiers…
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Thanks to the support of Animal Justice, prosecutors in Leduc, Alberta have withdrawn charges against two animal advocates. Karin Nelson and Tove Reece were charged with the offence of “stunting” after hanging a banner on a highway overpass near the Edmonton…
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The federal government announced a new subsidy this week to help promote the cruel foie gras industry in Quebec. According to a government news release, the Department of Agriculture and Agri-foods is giving $123,000 to Deschambault Animal Science Research Centre to…
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On Monday, June 10, Canada passed Bill S-203, groundbreaking legislation to outlaw whale and dolphin captivity. Once the bill comes into effect, it will be a criminal offence to capture wild whales and dolphins from the ocean, confine them in…
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Everything is about to change for animal protection in Ontario. In March 2019, the Ontario SPCA announced it will no longer enforce animal cruelty laws in the province and is putting this public responsibility back in the hands of the government,…
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The Canadian government is taking firm steps to protect captive whales from cruelty and ban the shark fin trade before the next election. Senator Peter Harder, government representative in the Senate, introduced amendments at the Senate Fisheries Committee this week…
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The House of Commons voted unanimously on Wednesday to pass Bill C-84, government legislation that would outlaw all forms of bestiality, and close loopholes related to animal fighting. Bill C-84 was introduced last year in response to the 2016 Supreme…
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Prosecutors in London, Ontario withdrew all charges today against animal rights advocate Jenny McQueen. McQueen was facing charges of break and enter and mischief after entering a pig breeding facility in Lucan, Ontario that impregnates mother pigs so their piglets…
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Government slaughter reports analyzed by Animal Justice show that the Canadian meat industry is slaughtering more animals for food than ever before. A record-breaking 819 million land animals were killed in Canadian slaughterhouses in 2018—up from 800 million in 2017, 771…
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The Ontario SPCA has announced that it will withdraw from enforcing animal protection laws in the province of Ontario as of March 31, when its current funding agreement with the province expires. While many animal lovers may be concerned by…
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Ad Standards has confirmed that a misleading transit ad campaign paid for by the Dairy Farmers of Canada has been taken down! The advertisement claimed “there are zero growth hormones in milk produced in Canada”, but this is false. IGF-1…
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The House of Commons Justice Committee approved changes proposed by Animal Justice to Bill C-84, an animal cruelty bill that would improve laws related to bestiality and animal fighting. Bill C-84 would make all sexual abuse of animals illegal. Currently,…
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The much-awaited changes to the Canada Food Guide have been released! The newest edition encourages Canadians to move away from excess dairy and meat consumption, and consume more plant-based foods. The last time the Canada Food Guide was updated was…
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Animal Justice is a national animal law advocacy organization, leading the legal fight for animals in Canada. Our lawyers work to pass strong new animal protection legislation at all levels of government, ensure laws already on the books are vigorously…
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After hearing arguments from Animal Justice lawyers, an Ontario court has ruled that animal law enforcement by the OSPCA—a private charity—is unconstitutional because the agency is not sufficiently accountable or transparent. Animal Justice intervened in the case of Bogaerts v Attorney…
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For years, animal advocates have been fighting to shut down the horrific fur industry. It’s been a long, hard battle, but major victories in 2018 for fur-bearing animals have proven that times are finally changing! Over four million animals are…
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The holiday season is upon us! For many, this time of year represents peace, love and joy. But for animals confined on Canadian farms, there’s nothing kind or joyful about this time of year. Tragically, holiday feasts often fuel the…
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Ontario has announced that it’s amending its provincial slaughter regulations. The province will eliminate the need for a veterinarian to conduct post-mortem inspections at a slaughterhouse of an animal killed on a farm. However, a pre-slaughter inspection still needs to…
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After nearly three years of delay and obstruction, a bill to ban keeping whales and dolphins in captivity has finally passed through the Canadian Senate. Senators voted to pass Bill S-203 late on Tuesday, and the legislation will now make…
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Prosecutors in Oshawa, Ontario have withdrawn a criminal break and enter charge against animal advocate Malcolm Klimowicz, who was charged earlier this year after filming severe neglect and cruelty on a mink farm. The charge had prompted massive rallies outside…
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After a courtroom showdown and years of advocacy by Animal Justice, the federal government finally introduced legislation today to close Canada’s bestiality loophole. The new law also strengthens animal fighting offences. Animal Justice welcomes this news, but believes it is…
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We can’t thank you enough—#Voiceless4AnimalJustice was a smashing success. Together, we raised $28,164.32 for animals, exceeding our $25,000 fundraising goal! For three weeks, participants from coast to coast educated their friends, families and the public about why Canada’s animal protection…
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Fall is the in the air, and autumn fashion accessories are hitting the streets! Many products are still made with leather, fur and other animal-derived materials, but happily, cruelty-free fashion has never been easier. More and more brands are now…
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The province of Nova Scotia passed strong new animal protection legislation this week, becoming the first province in the country to make cat declawing illegal. The new laws also put an end to tail docking, ear cropping, devocalizing dogs, and…
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Records obtained by Animal Justice under freedom of information show that between 2014 and 2017, the University of British Columbia (UBC) received almost $2 million from at least eight separate dairy industry sources. The majority of the funds came from…
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Animal Justice is urging the federal government to fund innovative industries that save the lives of animals by creating humane, animal-free products. Specifically, Animal Justice is asking the government to invest in developing alternatives to animal testing, and invest in…
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A whistleblower who exposed horrific suffering on multiple Ontario fur farms will face a criminal trial. Malcolm Klimowicz was charged with break and enter earlier this year for visiting a mink farm near Oshawa, Ontario and filming the disturbing conditions…
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A new website exposing the truth about the number of animals killed by the meat industry has just launched in Canada. Animal Clock, already available in the US and the UK, raises awareness about the vast number of animals raised and…
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Every year in Canada, thousands of draft horses are exported by air to Japan, where they will be slaughtered for meat. Draft horses are by nature large. When horses of this size are packed together in small crates, they are…
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Sault Ste. Marie just passed a progressive new animal care and control by-law that will mean greater protections for animals. Among other things, the by-law enhances animal care standards, bans circuses from using live animals in performances, and prohibits new…
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On June 8, 2018 Animal Justice celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a glamorous gala at The Burroughes in downtown Toronto. This inspirational evening included a blue carpet entrance and photo backdrop, an memorable program, fabulous vegan food, and a rooftop…
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Van Boekel Farms has a habit of getting itself in the news. In 1994, the family pig farming business and its owner—Eric Van Boekel—were convicted for spilling manure into waterways, damaging the water and surrounding environment. Then, in 2011, they…
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Veterinarians in British Columbia will no longer be permitted to declaw cats, after the province’s College of Veterinarians banned the practice. The College of Veterinarians is the self-regulatory body for the veterinary profession, and sets standards of practice that vets…
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Last fall, you may remember that Animal Justice filed a lawsuit to protect the mountain lion, northern bobwhite, and dozens of other threatened and endangered species in the province of Ontario. Represented by lawyers from Ecojustice, we were concerned that…
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a “What We Heard” report about its planned overhaul of Canadian food labelling regulations. What We Heard reports are issued after stakeholders are consulted on proposed policy changes; themes in stakeholder feedback…
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Between January 2015 and November 2017, more than 470,000 farmed animals burned alive on Canadian farms. These animals would have endured frightening and agonizing deaths, trapped in cages or stalls with no chance to escape the smoke and flames. Most…
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Slaughter reports from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada show we killed over 800,756,236 land animals for food in 2017—up from 771 million in 2016 and 750 million in 2015. The growth is mostly because more chickens are being killed for meat.…
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Easter is just around the corner, and with it comes family gatherings, chocolate, Easter egg hunts and gifts. It’s also a time of year when local animal rescue groups brace for the impact of thousands of people buying bunnies as…
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In November 2016, Animal Justice filed a legal complaint with authorities over a misleading ad campaign that suggested that consuming of dairy is essential for human health. The ads, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, were crafted to appear…
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This is a guest post from Fern Levitt, the award-winning documentary filmmaker behind Sled Dogs, the first film to expose the brutal reality of the dogsled racing and tourism industry. March 3, 2018 marked the start of the 46th annual Iditarod dogsled race in…
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TransLink Transit Police in Vancouver have ticketed an animal advocate for spreading awareness of animal cruelty by showing farm and slaughterhouse footage to passersby on the street. Geoff Rigear is a former undercover investigator on Canadian farms who now runs…
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Shock and outrage is spreading across Canada after news reports revealed that a B.C. couple butchered and ate a potbelly pig whom they adopted from the local SPCA. Molly, the potbelly pig, was rescued by the Cowichan & District branch…
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Two men accused of vicious animal cruelty, dogfighting, and firearm charges in Chatham, Ontario have escaped criminal conviction. A judge in the high-profile case threw out 67 charges against John Robert and Michel Gagnon after ruling that the case had…
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The federal government presented a new bill that updates the Fisheries Act this week, including restrictions on capturing wild whales and dolphins for the purpose of keeping them in captivity. The amendments would still allow exceptions to rescue cetaceans who…
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Nice try, Big Dairy. The dairy industry recently launched #Februdairy, a social media campaign aiming to promote dairy milk during the month of February. But before the campaign could even officially start, it quickly became a marketing failure. When public…
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At Animal Justice, we use the law to help animals. Sometimes that means using animal protection laws, but often it means using other laws, unrelated to animals, to hold industry accountable and shine a spotlight on the abuse animals endure.…
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British Columbia was in the news late last year for the incredible move to ban grizzly bear hunting province-wide. But the province is still no paradise for other animals. The B.C. government is quietly preparing to weaken a long list…
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