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Situation in Québec
Québec’s animals deserve better!
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) employs 10 inspectors devoted to defending the rights of the animals of Quebec. However, Québec’s animal protection laws, more specifically, the P-42, the Law Concerning the Well-Being and Safety of Animals in Québec are under a private mandate, and is thus not enforceable by the SPCA. The SPCA’s Inspectors can thus only apply the Canadian Criminal Code, which requires proof of criminal intent beyond any reasonable doubt in order to apply the inadequate laws that haven’t changed in 114 years. The Criminal Code, which was written in 1892, has only been modified once, in 1956, concerning the treatment of animals. Today, the protection of animals in Québec falls into the hands of a small paragovernmental organization, which has neither the experience nor the infrastructure of the SPCA. Above that, this organization refuses to share the large task of improving the quality of life of animals in Québec, and functions with an incredibly small publicly-funded budget. This organization employs a mere two inspectors for a territory six times larger than France. To top it all off, this "protection" organization has never, in their history, penalised even the smallest infraction.
In the words of Mr. Pierre Barnoti, general director of the SPCA, "the fact the SPCA has not yet been chosen to enforce the law P-42 has deep roots. One of the chairs of the Board of Directors of this paragovernmental organization is the official representative of the dog breeding industry. This industry openly lobbies the government to enact laws and rules that can be intentionally cruel in their hunt for profit. How can we seriously hope for improvement, when the sole goal of the industry’s representative is profit, pure and simple? The result is that Québec has become a haven for irresponsible and inhuman breeders. In this province, half of all homes own a domestic animal, and for most owners, this animal is considered a member of the family. Québec society has, at its heart, a belief in the well-being of animals, however our current laws do not reflect our values."
In contrast, Ontario has over 231 inspectors and protection agents. In this province, the laws concerning the treatment of animals include fines as steep as $60,000, or a prison term of up to two years, for anyone found guilty of operating a "puppy mill." British Columbia and Prince Edward Island also have similar legislation. In each of these three provinces, and many others in Canada, the enforcement of animal protection laws is devolved to local SPCAs, which unfortunately is not the case in Québec.
Join the SPCA in its mission of giving animals the chance that they rightfully deserve!
How?
Write your Member of Parliament to express your belief that the SPCA should be the sole party responsible for the enforcement of animal protection laws in Québec. (Make sure that the letter includes your name and signature).