Pets bludgeoned to death with boards and baseball bats, cattle dying from starvation and dogs living in the squalor of puppy mills. Those are some of the extreme cases of animal abuse recorded in Manitoba.
Manitoba Agriculture receives close to 300 complaints each year from people alleging abuse or neglect of animals. Some complaints prove unjustified but others lead to the discovery of abused or poorly cared-for animals. The victims range from domestic pets to farm animals.
“There are some where cattle are starving to death or they don’t have water in the middle of winter,” said Jim Neufeld, director of Manitoba Agriculture’s veterinary services branch.
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“Three years ago, we seized a herd of 265 animals because they were starving to death. We had to bring them into an auction yard, fatten them up and sell them. The owner was incapable, mentally, of taking care of them.”
To help curb animal abuse and neglect, the Manitoba government recently passed a new Animal Care Act. The act, which takes effect next month, allows for stiff fines and quick intervention to protect animals from pain and suffering.
The legislation includes standards for animal care. Codes of practice are spelled out for livestock producers, as well as for dog and cat breeders.
Under the new legislation, animal protection officers have the authority to inspect agricultural and commercial pet operations. They will also be able to seize animals and put them into humane care.
Fines for abuse or neglect will range from $500 to $5,000 for a first offence. Repeat offences could net fines of up to $10,000.
Although it sounds tougher, Neufeld said the new act was built upon legislation already existing in Manitoba. However, it provides more clearcut guidelines for resolving cases.
“For example, under the Animal Diseases Act we could inspect farm premises based on complaints. But then we had no direction from the legislation on what we could do, whether we could seize the animals, or sell them or things like that.”
The Animal Care Act is expected to better guard against so-called puppy mills in Manitoba, which came to light three years ago with the discovery of a puppy mill near Steinbach. More than 130 dogs and pups suffering from starvation, dehydration and a host of untreated health problems were seized from that site.
Under the act, hobby and commercial breeders of companion animals must be licensed by the province. Kennels keeping eight or more animals must also have a licence.
The Winnipeg Humane Society endorses the new Animal Care Act for making it easier to crack down on the operators of puppy and kitten mills. However, the society remains concerned about the number of animals exempt from the legislation.
Vicki Burns, the society’s executive director, said animals in zoos, game farms, laboratories, circuses, rodeos, and race and riding horses are not covered by the legislation.
“The new law means some dogs, cats and other animals get protection, but not others, and we don’t feel that is right.”
Exemptions were made, said Neufeld, in cases where other avenues already exist to guard against the inhumane treatment of animals. As well, there’s a provincial animal care committee to review cases that “fall between the cracks,” he said.
