Kill federal animal-cruelty bill: Calgary Humane Society

The Calgary Humane Society is urging people to pressure their MP's to vote against a proposed animal-cruelty law.

The federal government is considering amendments that would update the century-old law, but the humane society says that while Bill S-203 calls for stiffer penalties, the proposed changes don't go far enough.

What's needed, society spokesman Cheryl Wallach says, is a law that would "cover stray and wild animals — [the current bill] doesn't — so the animal needs to be owned to be covered under federal Criminal Code. It will address the negligence issue, where you can charge a negligence case under Criminal Code successfully, which you can't now.

"It will make it illegal to raise animals for fighting and profiting from that fighting, which currently isn't in that [proposed] legislation."

Currently, the maximum fine for conviction is $2,000 and up to six months in jail. Under the bill before Parliament, penalties would rise to $10,000, up to five years in jail, as well as a lifetime prohibition on owning animals.

The bill is expected to go to third reading in a couple of weeks.