Federal Law

In 1892, a section on cruelty to animals was added to the Criminal Code to protect working animals such as cart-horses, oxen and dogs.

In March, 2008, the Conservative Government with the support of some Liberal and Bloc Members of Parliament passed an amendment that increased the penalties for conviction under this law but did not change the law itself. This amendment was opposed by every animal welfare group in Canada, including the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the World society for the Protection of Animals because it does nothing to update the old law, under which it is almost impossible to convict a person who abuses or neglects an animal even to the point of death.

Animal welfare groups support another amendment that has been worked on and debated in Parliamentary Committees for the past ten years and was supported by all animal user groups such as farmers, hunters and researchers and by all political parties in previous sessions of Parliament, but was not passed into law because it was rejected by the Senate. This amendment makes egregious neglect a crime, as well as cruelty to wildlife and stray domestic animals, areas not covered in the current law. It was opposed some animal user groups such as the Cattlemen's Association, the Rodeo Association and the Ontario Association of Hunters and Anglers who were worried that radical animal rights advocates would use a better law to interfere with their traditional activities. However their fear is misplaced because the proposed amendment allows for all traditional, lawful activities, while it drags Canada's animal protection law out of the 19th century.