Lawyers for Animal Welfare (LAW), an organization that campaigns on behalf of animals, has released a guide to assist groups and individuals seeking to commence private prosecutions for instances of animal abuse contrary to the Federal Health of Animals Act and its Regulations.
The guide can be downloaded at THIS LINK.
“By publishing this guide, we at Lawyers for Animal Welfare (LAW) are taking action to empower citizens to hold government accountable when it fails to enforce animal welfare laws,” said Sophie Gaillard, author of the report.
Canadian law permits individual citizens to privately prosecute criminal and statutory violations of law when the government fails to do so on its own. Private prosecutions have previously been used successfully to enforce environmental laws when the government failed to act.
The release of the report follows a series of high profile events exposing the failure of government to enforce existing animal welfare laws and animal abuse in Canadian factory farms.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) released a scathing report entitled ‘Curb the Cruelty’ exposing systemic violations of animal welfare laws in Canada and government inaction.
In July 2010 Global Television also aired a shocking expose on the inhumane treatment of animals in Canadian factory farms.
The reports have been characterized as a response to increasing public concern over animal abuses in the food system.
Lawyers for Animal Welfare (LAW) is made up of legal practitioners and volunteers across Canada. It is an incorporated Registered Charity (#80399 7212 RR0001) dedicated to advancing public knowledge of animal practices and preventing the abuse and killing of animals through the enforcement of existing laws.
Tax deductible donations can be made on the website using credit card or PayPal at: http://www.lawyersforanimalwelfare.com/donate or by contacting the organization to make alternative arrangements.
For more information contact LAW at: info AT lawyersforanimalwelfare.com