Provincial and Territorial Legislation Concerning Farm Animal Welfare
Canadian provinces and territories have the primary responsibility for protecting the welfare of animals, including farm animals. All provinces and territories have laws in respect to animal welfare. Provincial and territorial legislation and regulations 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 Criminal Code of Canada prohibits anyone from wilfully 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
- Meat Inspection Act and Meat Inspection Regulation
- apply to farm animals whose meat is intended for human consumption
- enforced by police officers and inspectors designated by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Livestock Industry Diversification Act and Livestock Industry Diversification (Ministerial Regulation)
- provide the standards of care and slaughter for game animals 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.
- 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 - PDF (126 kb)
- 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
New Brunswick
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in New Brunswick.
- Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulation
- 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 Protection Act
- protects farm animals during all activities
- enforced by police officers, provincial veterinary staff and the Newfoundland and Labrador Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Animal Health and Protection Act
- will apply following the implementation of the Animal Health and Protection Regulations
- will replace the Animal Protection Act
- protects all domestic animals, adopts codes of practice and allows for increased monetary penalties
- is enforceable 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 (34 kb)
- 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.
- 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
- Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and
- General Regulation
- protect most farm animals from distress during any activity
- enforced by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police officers
- Standards of Care Regulation
- establishes standards of care for farm animals
- enforced by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police officers
- Hunting Exemption Regulation
- enforced by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police officers
- General Regulation
Prince Edward Island
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Prince Edward Island.
- Animal Health and Protection Act - PDF (117 kb) and Animal Health Regulations - PDF (249 kb)kb)
- 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
Quebec
The following acts and regulations provide protection for farm animals in Quebec.
- Animal Health Protection Act (the section on animal safety and welfare is not in force for farm animals)
- 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
- 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 62 kb)
- 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.
- Animal Protection Act (PDF 142 kb)
- protects all animals from being in distress
- states that an animal is not considered to be in distress if it is handled in a manner consistent with generally accepted practices of animal management or standard or code of practice
- enforced by an animal protection officer, which includes by definition a member of the RCMP, municipal police service or a person appointed as an animal protection officer
- Animal Products Act and Livestock Dealer Regulations
- protect any farm animal, including fertilized ova, fish and bees during production, manufacture, sale, purchase and transport
- outline the licensing and conduct of persons dealing in livestock, and respecting the methods of reporting and payment for livestock
- provide protection to vendors of livestock when selling livestock to a licensed dealer
- enforced by the Minister of Agriculture and appointed inspectors
- Animal Products Act and Livestock Inspection and Transportation Regulations
- provide for inspection and detention of animals being transported in the province and for export to confirm ownership
- outline criteria for transporting livestock
- enforced by the Minister of Agriculture and appointed inspectors
- Animal Products Act and Saskatchewan Egg Regulations
- license persons dealing in egg and egg products
- define grade standards
- prescribe the manner and conditions of grading, inspection, packaging, marketing, advertising, branding and labelling
- prescribe the standards of construction of equipment, maintenance and operation of facilities
- outline methods for the reporting of, and paying for, eggs and egg products
- enforced by the Minister of Agriculture and appointed inspectors
Yukon
The following act provides protection for farm animals in Yukon.
- Animal Protection Act: PDF (308 kb)
- 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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