Animal Abuse & Cruelty

REPORTING ABUSE

All too often abused and neglected animals are left to suffer because someone "just doesn't want to get involved." Animals are like small children, they need someone to speak up for them when they are being mistreated.

With the recent changes to the Animal Health and Protection Act, the RCMP, RNC and Municipal Police are now the only enforcement agency responsible for investigating cases of abuse and neglect.

If you know of an animal that is being abused, neglected, or mistreated in any way, please contact your local RCMP, RNC detachment or local Animal Control Officer

Your taking the time to make that call, could mean the difference in that animal’s life.

Please click video below to view some of the cases we've had come through our shelter doors. These animals desperately need our help.

Abused dogs travel from Labrador to Nova Scotia to find homes

Click link to view article by digital journal about some of our abuse cases.

Highlights of the Animal Protection Laws, May 15, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS - ANIMAL PROTECTION LAWS

Standards of Care for Companion Animals

An animal is in distress when in need of proper care, water, food or
shelter, being sick, injured, abused or in pain or of suffering undue or
unnecessary hardship, privation or neglect.

Injury may be caused by wounding, worrying, terrifying or pursuing.

An animal may not be transported outside the passenger compartment of a
motor vehicle unless confined or secured in a body harness, or by means of
another fastening, in a manner which is adequate to prevent the animal from
falling off the vehicle or otherwise injuring itself or causing a hazard to
other vehicles.

An animal may not be confined in an enclosed space, including a motor
vehicle, without adequate ventilation.

An animal may not be transported in the trunk of a motor vehicle. (does not
apply to a station wagon, passenger van, sport-utility vehicle, hatchback or
another type of motor vehicle that does not have a trunk)

An animal may not be hitched, tied or fastened to a fixed object with a
choke collar, choke chain, or rope or cord tied around the animal’s neck.

Ear cropping or tail docking of a dog, or permitting the ear cropping or
tail docking of a dog, is prohibited unless deemed medically necessary by a
veterinarian.

A veterinarian who believes on reasonable grounds that an animal has been or
is subject to neglect or abuse shall report to the Chief Veterinary
Officer.

A person who, while operating a bicycle or a motor vehicle, injures an
animal shall, where reasonably possible, stop and provide the care and attention
to the animal that is necessary to relieve its pain and help its recovery.

A person who, while operating a bicycle or a motor vehicle, kills an animal,
shall as soon as reasonably possible, notify an inspector of that fact and
provide the information that the inspector requires.

Owner Liability:

The owner of an animal shall not permit the animal to cause a hazard to
people, livestock operations, other animals, goods, property or the safe
operation of motor vehicles.

An owner of a dog shall keep it safely tethered or penned up at all times,
unless:

held on a leash by a person capable of restraining its movements

being used by a person for the purpose of lawful hunting

being used by a person to work in a lawful manner with sheep

An owner of an animal shall be liable for damages or injury caused by that
animal to a person, other animals, goods or property.

Dog Being a Nuisance:

Where a person finds a dog that is killing, maiming or pursuing natural
persons or livestock, the person may:

shoot or otherwise destroy the dog; or

lay a complaint before a Provincial Court judge.

Basic Standards of Dog Care:

A dog shall be provided with:

clean, fresh, unfrozen drinking water, at all times

sufficient quantity and quality of food to allow for normal, healthy growth
and the maintenance of normal, healthy bodyweight

clean food and water receptacles located in a manner that prevents spillage
and contamination by excreta

adequate veterinary attention when necessary

care that is necessary for the general welfare of the dog

Design of a Basic Shelter or Dog House:

A dog that is kept outside in weather conditions that may pose a risk to the
health of the dog or that is housed outside shall be provided with a shelter in
accordance with these standards:

be weather-proof, water-proof and insulated

be sufficiently ventilated in a manner that prevents the accumulation of
moisture and odours

be of a size and design adequate and appropriate for the size of the
dog

contain an entrance and a hallway that are separate from a sleeping
area

have a canvas or rubber flap attached at the entrance

be sufficiently elevated off the ground to ensure that the floor is kept
dry

contain bedding of sufficient depth to provide insulation from cold weather
conditions

Straw, woodchips, a blanket or other bedding must be changed every 7 to 14
days, or as otherwise required to keep the interior of the shelter clean and
dry.

A mechanism outside of a shelter for a dog shall be provided to hold food and
water receptacles in a manner that prevents spillage

Minimum floor space of the sleeping area in a shelter for a dog shall
comprise 232 square centimetres for each 2.5 centimetres of the height of the
dog in a standing position. (See Measuring section for further info.) Minimum
ceiling height of the sleeping area in a shelter for a dog shall be 5
centimetres greater than the height of the dog in a sitting position. (See
Measuring section for further info.)

Basic Requirements for a Dog Pen or Enclosure:

A pen or enclosure in which a dog is confined must in a good state of repair
and made of materials that are not toxic to the dog.

Flooring requirements:

made of a texture and design that prevents the dog from being injured

not be made of wire mesh, metal or wood

A pen or enclosure must not be stacked with another pen or enclosure.

The location must not pose a high risk of injury or other distress to the
dog.

It must not contain more than 3 dogs.

It must not contain a dog that may pose a danger to another dog in the same
pen or enclosure.

A pregnant or nursing dog that is confined in a pen or enclosure must not be
confined with a dog other than its nursing offspring.

There is no maximum number of nursing offspring that may be confined in a pen
or enclosure with a nursing dog.

The size of the floor of a pen or enclosure in which one dog is confined must
not be less than 9 square metres.

The length and width of a floor of a pen or enclosure in which more than one
dog is confined must each be increased by one metre for each additional dog.

The minimum height of a pen or enclosure must be one metre greater than the
height of the tallest dog in a standing position that is confined in that pen or
enclosure.

A pen or enclosure must contain at least one shelter for a dog that is
designed, built and maintained in accordance with these standards.

It must have an area that provides the dog with shade at all times.

It must be cleaned and have excreta removed from it on a daily basis.

A dog that is confined to a pen or enclosure must be provided:

daily social interaction with people or animals or both

toys and other enrichments that are appropriate for the dog's
well-being

daily access to exercise that is adequate and appropriate for that dog
outside of the pen or enclosure.

Measuring a Dog:

Height in standing position measured from the top of the dog’s shoulder to
the ground

Height in sitting position measured from top of the dog’s head to the
ground

Length measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail

Tethering:

A dog that is tethered, unsupervised, outside must be:

tethered in a location that does not pose a high risk of injury or other
distress to the dog

tethered in an environment that is free of debris and does not cause harm or
undue strain or stress to the dog

The area in which a dog is tethered, unsupervised, outside shall be cleaned
and have excreta removed from it on a daily basis.

The restraining device used to tether a dog that is unsupervised,outside:

must be at least 5 times the length of the dog (See Measuring section for
further info)

must allow the dog to move in a manner that is safe and unrestricted
excepted by its length

must not weigh more than 10 per cent of the dog's body weight

A dog that is tethered, unsupervised, outside must be provided:

daily social interaction with people or animals or both

toys and other enrichments that are appropriate for the dog's
well-being

daily access to exercise that is adequate and appropriate for that dog and
that is unfettered from a fixed area

A dog that is young, aged or infirm shall not be tethered, unsupervised,
outside for an extended period of time.

Sled Dogs:

An owner of a sled dog, or owner or operator of a kennel, must provide the
sled dog with:

adequate veterinary attention

care that is necessary for the general welfare of the sled dog

Penalties:

A person who is found guilty of an offence under this Act or the regulations
may be fined up to $50,000 and, in default of payment, be sentenced to a term of
imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or to both a fine and imprisonment.

Ban on Ownership:

A Provincial Court judge may, in addition to another penalty, make an order
prohibiting that a convicted person from owning an animal (or animals) for a
specified period of time or for the remainder of the person’s life.