Provincial and territorial legislation concerning welfare of livestock
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Canadian provinces have the primary responsibility for protecting the welfare of animals, including farm animals and pets. All provinces and territories have laws in respect to animal welfare. Provincial and territorial legislation tend to be general in scope, covering a wide range of animal welfare interests. Some provinces and territories have regulations that govern specific aspects of animal welfare, or are related to certain species.
The CFIA's animal welfare mandate is limited to regulating humane transport of animals and the humane treatment of food animals in federal abattoirs. While producers, along with provincial and territorial authorities, are responsible for the care of animals on farm, the CFIA works to protect livestock by:
- working closely with the provinces, territories and all stakeholders in the animal care community when animal welfare issues are identified
- working with industry to establish standards of care and biosecurity
- establishing the requirements to protect all animals during transport
- verifying that humane transport and humane slaughter requirements are respected in all federal slaughter plants
The Criminal Code of Canada prohibits anyone from willfully causing animals to suffer from neglect, pain or injury. The Criminal Code is enforced by police services, provincial and territorial Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and/or provincial and territorial ministries of agriculture.
The roles of the provinces and territories are described below.
Alberta
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Alberta.
- Animal Protection Act and Animal Protection Regulation
- applies to all animals during any activity, excluding generally accepted practices of animal management, husbandry and slaughter
- enforced by Peace Officers with an appointment issued by the Solicitor General's office for the Animal Protection Act, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers and members of municipal police services
- Bill 27, Protecting property owners, 2019
- Meat Inspection Act and Meat Inspection Regulation
- applies to the slaughter of animals where the meat is intended for human consumption excluding the slaughter of a producer's own animals for consumption by their household
- enforced by police officers and inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Livestock Industry Diversification Act and Livestock Industry Diversification (Ministerial Regulation)
- provides the facility, registration, and tracking requirements for farmed cervids, and the standards for velvet antler removal
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture
British Columbia
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in British Columbia.
- Animal Care Codes of Practice Regulation
- adopts codes of practice
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
- protects all farm animals, excluding wild animals, from distress during any activity, excluding generally accepted practices of animal management
- enforced by police officers and the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Milk Industry Act and Milk Industry Standards Regulation
- apply to dairy cattle during handling and milking
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
- Agricultural Produce Grading Act/Hatchery Regulation
- require adequate housing for poultry
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
- Food Safety Act and Meat Inspection Regulation
- apply to most farm animals during slaughter
- enforced by the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport
Manitoba
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Manitoba.
- Animal Care Act and Animal Care Regulation
- apply to most farm animals during all activities including transport, excluding generally accepted practices
- enforced by the Office of the Chief Veterinarian, special animal protection officers and police officers
- Bill 62, Protecting property owners, 2021
New Brunswick
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in New Brunswick.
- Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
- protect any farm animal during any activity
- enforced by the New Brunswick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police officers
- Poultry Health Protection Act and Hatchery Licensing and Hatchery Supply Flock Policy Regulation
- provide protection for chicks during housing
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Minister of Agriculture
Newfoundland and Labrador
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Animal Health and Protection Act and Animal Protection Regulations / Animal Protection Standards Regulations
- protects all domestic animals, adopts codes of practice and allows for increased monetary penalties
- enforced by police officers and inspectors appointed by the Minister, which may include provincial and municipal employees as well as non-governmental agencies
- Meat Inspection Act
- protects farm animals during holding and slaughter
- enforced by the Department of Government Services
Nova Scotia
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Nova Scotia.
- Animal Health and Protection Act
- addresses destroying diseased animals, quarantine, vaccination, and testing
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Animal Protection Act
- protects all animals during any activity, excluding generally accepted practices of animal management husbandry or slaughter
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Meat Inspection Act/Regulations Respecting Slaughter
- protect most farm animals during slaughter
- enforced by inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Baby Chick Protection Act
- prohibits displaying or selling artificially coloured living chickens
- enforced by the Department of Agriculture
Northwest Territories
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in the Northwest Territories.
- Herd and Fencing Act (PDF)
- protects most farm animals during housing (fencing)
- enforced by officers appointed by the Commissioner
Nunavut
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Nunavut.
- Herd and Fencing Act
- protects most farm animals during housing (fencing)
- enforced by officers appointed by the Commissioner
Ontario
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Ontario.
- Bill 136, Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act ("PAWS" Act), 2019
- establishes inspection powers and authorities
- establishes offences for causing or permitting distress to an animal and for failure to comply with standards of care
- Bill 156, Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020
- Animals for Research Act and
- General Regulation
- Pounds Regulation
- Research Facilities and Supply Facilities Regulation
- Transportation Regulation
- protect farm animals used in research, teaching, testing
- protect animals at supply facilities for research
- regulate municipal pounds
- enforced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Food Safety and Quality Act and
- Disposal of Deadstock Regulation
- require humane destruction and prohibits moving most fallen farm animals
- enforced by inspectors as appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Meat Inspection Regulation
- applies to most farm animals during slaughter
- enforced by inspectors as appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Disposal of Deadstock Regulation
- Livestock Community Sales Act
- applies to most farm animals during sale
- enforced by inspectors as appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Livestock Community Sales Regulation
- provides for euthanizing compromised farm animals at auction
- enforced by inspectors as appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Racing Commission Act and Rules of Racing (use of whip, drugs, cruelty to race horses)
- govern the horse racing industry, including the treatment of the farm animals involved
- enforced by Racing Commission Investigators
Prince Edward Island
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Prince Edward Island.
- Animal Welfare Act (PDF) and Animal Welfare Regulations (PDF)
- protect all farm animals from distress during any activity, excluding generally accepted practices of animal management, husbandry or slaughter
- enforced by inspectors appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Bill 120, Protecting property owners, 2020 (PDF)
- Bill 124, Protecting from improper release of commercial animals, 2020 (PDF)
Quebec
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Quebec.
- Animal Health Protection Act
- applies to most farm animals
- permits agriculture, teaching and research as long as generally accepted agricultural practices are followed
- enforced by inspectors and veterinarians appointed by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Animal Welfare and Safety Act, 2021
- to ensure the protection, welfare and safety of all animals throughout their lives
- Food Products Act and Regulation respecting food
- provide standards relating to transporting, holding and slaughtering farm animals, as well as facility sanitation
- enforced by inspectors and veterinarians appointed by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Animal Health Protection Act and Regulation respecting the sale of livestock by auction (PDF)
- protect farm animals subject to auction
- enforced by inspectors and veterinarians appointed by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife and Regulation respecting animals in captivity
- protect most farm animals kept in captivity
- enforced by wildlife protection officers of the Quebec Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife
Saskatchewan
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Saskatchewan.
- The Animal Protection Act, 2018 and Animal Protection Regulations, 2018
- protects all animals from being in distress
- covers animal care duties and prohibited activity
- protection of service animals, and protection of certain animals against dogs
- appointment and powers of animal protection agencies, and animal protection officers
- The Animal Health Act and Animal Health Regulations
- covers animal health and the prevention, control, and eradication of diseases among animals
- authority for establishing animal health programs, biosecurity measures, quarantine orders, surveillance zone orders and establishing reportable and notifiable disease lists
- The Stray Animals Act and Stray Animals Regulations, 1999
- livestock specific (not cats and dogs)
- gives local governments the authority to pass bylaws to address stray animals, including locations of pounds, and appointment of pound keepers
- outlines rules for the restraint and impoundment of animals, and requires the finder to provide food and shelter for the stray animal
- The Animal Products Act
- protects any farm animal, including fertilized ova, fish, and bees during production, manufacture, sale, purchase and transport. Various parts of this process are covered under multiple regulations
- The Livestock Dealer Regulations, 1995
- The Livestock Inspection and Transportation Regulations, 1978
- The Animal Custom Care Regulations, 2006
- The Saskatchewan Egg Regulations, 2010
- The Fur Farming Regulations, 2017
- The Meat Inspection (Saskatchewan) Regulations
- The Domestic Game Farm Animal Regulations
- The Premises Identification Regulations
- The Milk Products Compositional Standards Regulations, 2014
- protects any farm animal, including fertilized ova, fish, and bees during production, manufacture, sale, purchase and transport. Various parts of this process are covered under multiple regulations
Yukon
The following act provides protection for farm animals in Yukon.
- Animal Protection Act (PDF)
- protects all farm animals from distress and cruelty during any activity
- enforced by the Yukon Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police officers
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