New bill to limit animal cruelty inspections
Police not prepared to assume OSPCA powers, head of Thunder Bay Humane Society says
The President of the Thunder Bay Humane Society is denouncing a bill that would limit policing powers of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The bill would prevent OSCPA inspectors from investigating complaints about farm animals. Property owners would have to give their permission before inspectors could check into alleged abuse of animals that don’t live on farms.
Additionally inspectors could not lay charges — only police could.
Dr. Jack Remus said that's a mistake.
"[Police] are not prepared to do that all,’ Remus said. "They're not familiar with the act."
But Carleton-Mississippi Mills Conservative MPP Jack MacLaren, who drafted the bill, said he listened to feedback from farm owners when he agreed to amendments.
"Our primary objective is animal welfare, but number two is respect with the people and the owners of the animals," MacLaren said.
According to a March 14 article on Better Farming, an online community of Ontario professional farmers, MacLaren said the agriculture ministry would deal with the welfare of farm animals.
The amended bill will be tabled in the legislature Monday. MPPs are expected vote on it at the end of the month.