Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud recently introduced amendments to The Animal Protection Act, 1999.
The proposed amendments to the Act include increasing the maximum fine level for animal abuse to $25,000 for each convicted offence. The current court imposed fines are a maximum of $5,000 for a first offence and $10,000 for second and subsequent offences. The new legislation also proposes increasing the imprisonment period from the current maximum of six months to a maximum of two years for those convicted of animal abuse.
"Our government is committed to a high standard of animal health and welfare in Saskatchewan," Bjornerud said. "While we know the vast majority of owners do provide the necessary care for their animals, these proposed changes will help to reduce the number of animal neglect cases in Saskatchewan."
The process to amend the Act included a review of The Animal Protection Act, 1999, and consultations with a wide-range of industry groups during the winter of 2009-10. As a result, 15 agricultural organizations submitted letters to the Ministry of Agriculture in support of both increased fines and jail terms for animal abuse.
"We appreciated the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Agriculture to improve this legislation," Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Chair Tim Wiens said. "These proposed amendments will help ensure the health and well-being of farm animals in Saskatchewan and we look forward to continuing to work with the provincial government in the future."
Bjornerud also announced the Ministry of Agriculture will be providing up to an additional $390,000 to the Saskatchewan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Saskatchewan SPCA). The funding is intended to help the Saskatchewan SPCA address the recent increase in animal neglect cases. The Ministry of Agriculture will provide the additional funding over three years, beginning with the current fiscal year. By the final year of the current funding agreement with the Saskatchewan SPCA, 2012-13, the Ministry of Agriculture will have increased its annual funding by 111 per cent since 2007-08.
"The increase in penalties and revisions to The Animal Protection Act will help us to protect the welfare of livestock and companion animals," Saskatchewan SPCA Executive Director Frances Wach said. "We are very pleased with the government's commitment to the Saskatchewan SPCA and the welfare of animals in this province."
