News Release Archive
AGRICULTURE/MARKETING--ANIMAL CRUELTY PREVENTION ACT INTRODUCED
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After years of working with an outdated act that limits the
efforts to convict people who are cruel to animals, the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty will be better able to deal with
abuse situations with the new Animal Cruelty Prevention Act
introduced today by Agriculture and Marketing Minister Wayne
Gaudet.
"Nova Scotians want to see animal cruelty cases dealt with;
having a new act is a big step in the right direction," said Mr.
Gaudet. "This is timely legislation and I am pleased to be
presenting it today."
The new act will give greater powers for judges to convict people
of animal cruelty and neglect. Under the current act, that has
been in existence since 1877, the Criminal Code of Canada is used
to charge people. It was very difficult to get anyone convicted,
the minister said.
The SPC is a provincial organization with branch societies and
animal shelters across the province. The society has been working
for a long time to get a new act, and came to the Department of
Agriculture and Marketing seeking help with the act.
"I really appreciate all the special efforts of the SPC, their
branch societies and shelters and the many others who have worked
hard to have a better animal cruelty prevention act," said Mr.
Gaudet.
The new act also provides for the corporate structure of the SPC
and its branch societies and identifies the SPC's role in
inspections, investigations and prevention education. The act
also gives the SPC powers to immediately deal with animals in
critical distress. Under the new legislation, special agents of
the SPC will be appointed as peace officers under the Police Act.
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Contacts: Susan Horne
902-424-5719
Jessica Hunt
Provincial Investigator, SPC
902-835-4798 or 902-497-9533 (cell phone)
trp Mar. 29, 1996 - 11:15 a.m.
