The Manitoba Law Reform Commission has released a report containing a number of recommended changes that should be made to The Stable Keepers Act.
The Act gives stable keepers the right to claim a lien over animals and effects owned by another person for the value of services provided. Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario have similar legislation.
Nova Scotia is currently considering enacting animal keepers’ lien legislation, and the British Columbia and Ontario Acts are due for reform.
The Manitoba Law Reform Commission’s report available for download HERE was released on November 1, 2011 and includes a number of recommendations in respect of the right of animal keepers to claim a lien over animals, and the available remedies.
As it stands, the legislation in each province stipulates that the only measure available to a stable keeper to recover the money owed in debt is for the animal(s) to be sold at public auction, which almost always leads to the animal’s death at a slaughterhouse.
The Manitoba report recommends that a stable keeper should also be given the option to either keep the animal(s) or to sell them privately in order to save their lives.
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