New Quebec pet and breeding law bans declawing, tail-docking and other cosmetic surgeries
New regulations on pet ownership and breeding in Quebec came out this week.
They include major advances for pet care and the humane treatment of horses. The new Animal Welfare and Safety Act would also ban non-therapeutic surgeries like declawing in cats, and tail-docking or ear-cropping in dogs.
The controversial procedures are ones most vets already won't perform anymore.
"We're trying to make clients understand that these are invasive procedures, not a simple procedure but an actual surgical amputation," said vet Dr. Isak Kasuto.
The regulations also prohibit the use of gas chambers for euthanasia and a ban on the use of prong collars for dogs. The Pierrefonds Animal Hospital won't even stock those products.
"Prong collars, people don't understand that they are a lot more harmful than they think, and it won't correct the behavioural issue," said Kasuto. "There are a lot of non-aggressive other ways of managing the behaviour that you're trying to stop."
The bill also calls for a maximum of 50 cats or dogs owned by one breeder.
The Humane Society International Canada said it's a good move but not ambitious enough. Ewa Demianowicz says
"When you consider it, 50 animals in just one facility it can equal hundreds of puppies per year, and it's usually one or two people caring for them," said Humane Society senior campaign manager Ewa Demianowicz.
The rule is an effort to reduce puppy mills.
Demianowicz said the Humane Society has raided puppy mills where there were over 500 dogs that were being bred for sale.
Yet, the Humane Society said the changes have to have more teeth - the law needs to be enforced.
"It's great to have improvements legislated on paper, (but) it won't make a difference for animals concretely if we don't have inspectors," said Demianowicz.
She wants assurances that investigators will be going in and checking breeding facilities and situations of neglect.
The Montreal SPCA has been demanding these changes for years and wants even more since, the organization says, the permanent chaining of dogs and animals used in research will not be protected by the new laws.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.