Help Protect Our Animals

Protection & Bylaws

Animal Cruelty generally falls into one of two categories: neglect or intentional cruelty. Neglect is the failure to provide adequate water, food, shelter, or necessary care. Examples of neglect include starvation; dehydration; inadequate shelter; parasite infestations; failure to seek veterinary care when an animal needs medical attention; allowing a collar to grow into an animal’s skin; confined without adequate light, ventilation, space or in unsanitary conditions; and failure to trim hoofs or nails resulting in excessive growth (i.e., hoofs curling upwards). In some cases, neglect is a result of the owner’s ignorance, and can be rectified by law enforcement authorities, like the Provincial Animal Welfare Inspectors educating the owner and issuing orders to improve the animals living conditions.

What Is Distress?

The PAWS Act (Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act) gives a definition: ‘Distress’ means the state of being in need of proper care, water, food or shelter or being injured, sick or in pain or suffering or being abused or subject to undue or unnecessary hardship, privation or neglect.

What Is A Cruelty Inspector Or Agent?

Animal cruelty investigations are carried out by Provincial Animal Welfare Inspectors, who are governed by provincial legislation called the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS Act). Inspectors appointed under the Act have the authority of police officers when enforcing laws pertaining to the welfare of, or the prevention of cruelty to animals.

Inspectors may enter private property to relieve animals from their distress. As well, they are authorized to serve the animals’ owner/custodian with PAWS Act orders which outline remedial action to relieve the distress.

Inspectors and Agents also have the authority to remove animals from the owner/custodian in some cases, and lay charges under the Criminal Code of Canada and the PAWS Act.