Canada is one of the most developed countries in the world. One would expect it to have better Legislation towards all forms of life. However, this is not so – yet, which could be shameful for every concerned party.
A report posted by CBS News in July 1999 highlights a rise in animal cruelty among animals in Canada. According to this press release, animal workers were calling for tougher laws when dealing with anyone found to be treating animals in an inhumane manner.
Over the years, things have improved, but it’s still not to the expectation of many. In 2016, another concerned citizen raised concerns that led to the attempted reformation of the 1892 law. Canada was still experiencing shameful acts of cruelty against animals.
In 2022, another report by Humane Canada showed the existence of gaps concerning the recognition of animals by law. Toolika Rastogi, a senior manager at the organization recognizes the worthiness of animal life and the need to protect them. The organization seeks to create awareness in society, encouraging people to embrace the responsibility to animals with accountability.
Is Canada’s Legal System Flawed When it Comes to Animal Life?
One of the biggest questions we face today is whether it’s hard to pass laws against animal cruelty. Well, it’s not. If anything, Canada has one of the best systems in the world to implement such laws.
Whenever a new parliament convenes, members bring to the table private bills. A lottery system is used to determine which one comes fast. One of the strongest supporters of animal rights, Nathaniel Erskine -Smith, introduced the C-246 Bill called The Modernizing Animal Protection Act in February 2016. This was the first attempt to make changes to animal cruelty provisions on the 1892 enactment of the Criminal Code.
Back then, animals were treated as a person’s property, and hence, arming the animal would mean harming the owner. In such cases, prosecutors carried the burden of proving the intent to harm the animal. They needed enough evidence that it was willful neglect before obtaining the conviction. So, a man who kills his dog would be easily acquitted due to that law.
In Bill-246, it would be considered if the animal was killed brutally. It became easier to prosecute cruel actions against animals, which reduced such cases.
Not Enough?
There have been more attempts to amend the law against animal cruelty, but it doesn’t seem to bear much fruit. According to the report by Humane Canada, there are still key loopholes that are letting perpetrators of animal cruelty off the hook. Hence, there seems to be an increase in these acts, especially with the gradual return of post-COVID-19 normalcy.
Key findings include:
- The fact Canadian Legislation does not give animal sentience much recognition.
- Lack of policies for prosecuting animal welfare offenses
- Inconsistency in the definition of offenses, power, and obligations towards animals.
- Many crime reporting systems neglect or don’t include animal cruelty cases.
- A need to develop violence link training programs.
It’s quite fascinating that animal cruelty laws are clear in over 30 nations under the EU. But in Canada, only Quebec holds animals as sentient beings. Unless this changes, cases of cruelty against animals will keep rising.
