In the past few months, two private member’s bills have been introduced to the House of Commons in an effort to amend Canada’s animal cruelty laws in the Criminal Code of Canada. In April 2014, MP Isabelle Morin introduced bill…
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It’s been three and a half years since the 2010 conviction of puppy mill operator Bud Wheatley exposed serious flaws in how Prince Edward Island protects animals. The case revealed what many people already knew, that animals had been suffering…
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Our trip to meet Sunshine, dubbed the happiest goat ever, started with a question: how can we help Sunshine who since February, has become the target of a Canadian Food Inspection Agency eradication program?
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In August 2005, the Ontario government enacted the Dog Owner’s Liability Act [1] outlawing the possession, breeding, importing and transferring of pit bulls in Ontario. [2] The legislation replaced regulations that permitted pit bulls so long as they were muzzled and leashed in…
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Black bear populations are increasing in most parts of North America and of course, humans are also continuing to expand in both population and territorial reign.1 When areas of sizeable human use overlap bear habitat, conflict can arise. The question…
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Animal Justice Canada has released ‘OSPCA Act: A Better Way Forward’. This comprehensive review provides commentary on and best practice recommendations for Ontario’s primary piece of animal welfare legislation – the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals…
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The WTO has upheld the European Union’s ban on seal products under the trade agreements’ “public morality” clause, agreeing that the EU’s citizens find the killing and skinning methods used by Canadian seal hunters morally reprehensible.
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The hard fought battle to have Iringa, Toka and Thika, the African elephants based at the Toronto Zoo, delivered to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (“PAWS”) sanctuary in California had a happy ending on October 20, 2013 when they arrived…
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Gestation crates, otherwise known as sow stalls, are heavily used in intensive pig farming to confine female breeding pigs (sows) during pregnancy. The confinement is so tight that mother pigs cannot turn around to scratch themselves or even take a…
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If you are from Manitoba you will likely be well aware that the expression “dog days” does not merely refer to those lazy days of summer, but also to the annual dog culls that take place within the province. Dog…
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Context Last year, 82, 175 horses were slaughtered in Canada. That number is not an anomaly; the past five years have seen a similar number of horses killed for profit in Canada.[1] There are currently four federally-registered Canadian slaughterhouses in…
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On 13 June, Provincial Court Judge Nancy Orr sentenced three teenagers for having bludgeoned to death 65 nursing seal pups and their mothers on a remote beach in eastern Prince Edward Island. Under s. 445.1(1)(a) of the Criminal Code [1] and s.…
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Gone are the days of Chicken Little and Foghorn Leghorn. Today the only association the Canadian public has with chickens is in the form that comes on a plate. As of the date of this article, nearly 200 million chickens…
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It has been almost a dozen years since Jesse Power, Anthony Wennekers, and Matt Kaczorowski engaged in a now infamous example of animal cruelty for the sake of “art.” In 2001, the three men filmed their brutal torture and killing…
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It is no secret to the public that over the past few years the OSPCA has been a frequent feature in the news. What may be surprising however, is that despite the events that have taken place and reports and…
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Even with advances in medical teaching techniques, the Canadian military still trains medical personnel by using live animals. The techniques employed by the military are the epitome of cruelty. In live agent training techniques, pigs are exposed to sarin, mustard…
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What happens when humans come into contact with other non-human animals? Sometimes we call them food, sometimes pets, and other times we call them pests. Regardless of what we choose to label them as, animals are sentient beings and have…
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This is part III of III on the use of animals for entertainment and the freedom of expression. Part I – Part II Consider the following…. Consider a by-law, let’s call it the Circus By-law, which restricts exotic animal performances…
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This is part II of III on the use of animals for entertainment and the freedom of expression Part I What the Courts Have Said…. Ontario municipal by-laws attempting to regulate the keeping of exotic animals within municipal boundaries have…
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Backgrounder…. Exotic animals, including elephants, tigers, zebras, and bears, are commonly used in traveling circuses across North America. For the entertainment of humans, these animals face many instances of cruelty and live lives of diminished quality. Examples of the cruelty…
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The Ministry of Natural Resources (“MNR”) recently proposed a number of changes to various regulations under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, SO 1997, c 41 (“FWCA”). The changes reflect the MNR’s policy decision to increase efficiencies as well as…
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After a long legal battle, the Canadian Transportation Agency (“CTA”) on December 20, 2012, upheld Air Canada’s decision to stop transporting non-human primates destined for research and experimentation. Background In 2011, it came to the public’s attention that Air Canada…
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It is said that a picture says 1,000 words. Indeed, an image can be the most effective way to communicate a message. But what happens when the pictures used expose a reality that many are uncomfortable facing? This article provides…
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On Friday November 30th, Justice Spence of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice held that the City of Toronto By-law No 12347-2011 (the “By-law”), which banned the possession, consumption and sale of shark fin or shark fin food products within…
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It is no secret that Canada’s Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, anti-cruelty provisions are often criticized for being outdated and insufficient to properly protect Canada’s animals. The wording of the provisions coupled with the requisite criminal standard of proof…
Read More »Welcome to the Blog of Animal Justice Canada. Stay tuned for news and information about animal protection and the developing field of animal law.
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