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OSPCA tells government it will no longer enforce animal welfare laws

First Published:

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) has told the provincial government it will no longer investigate and enforce animal cruelty laws.

The agency says it will not sign a new contract after its current agreement expires at the end of March.

OSPCA CEO Kate MacDonald told The Canadian Press the current model is no longer working.

“Enforcement is the responsibility of government, one that we can confidently support by offering animal protection services to enforcement agencies. Being an outside agency, we have been woefully under-resourced to provide legislation enforcement,” said MacDonald in a news release. “We have struggled to meet the need and have struggled with both Officer safety and, at times, conflicts with our charitable mission. It is simply not in the interests of animals or this charity to continue along the same path.”

The OSPCA says it will shift into a support role in animal cruelty investigations, providing animal shelter, forensic evidence collection and veterinary services.

The group says it will draft its recommendations for a new Ontario Animal Protection Act that will provide the maximum protection of animals.

The agency has enforced animal cruelty laws in Ontario for the past 100 years.

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