Working with the OSPCA Comprised of 50 branches and affiliated - PDF document

The Ontario SPCA is a registered Who we are… charity formed in 1873 and mandated by provincial statute (Ontario SPCA Act) to enforce animal cruelty laws. Working with the OSPCA Comprised of 50 branches and affiliated Humane Societies across the province. Ontario Society for the Prevention of 90 investigators across Ontario investigate approximately 16,000 Cruelty To Animals complaints each year. September 26, 2017 Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services . Agent Training To facilitate and provide for the • 16 week training program including: prevention of cruelty to animals • 4 week on-line course with exam and their protection and relief therefrom. • 4 week in class training • 2 weeks livestock/equine training at University of Guelph • 160 hours ride along hours including 32 hours specific to livestock • 3 month probationary period with direct supervision/coaching • Investigators have more than 40 hours continued training available each year. 1

There are many different ways a veterinarian can be involved with Distress: “The state of being in need of proper the SPCA: care, water, food or shelter or being injured, • Via client who has been issued an Ontario SPCA sick or in pain or suffering or being abused or Order subject to undue or unnecessary hardship, • SPCA as client offering professional opinion privation or neglect” relating to distress (clinic, on-farm, kennel, * Differs from medical definition of distress as it continuing care, encompasses many situations of cruelty and neglect forensics) and includes mental suffering as well as physical • Testifying in court distress. relating to any of the above **Death in not always immanent. Investigations by Type 2016 Section 12(8) Exotics/ Domestic Wildlife • Definition: “ Distress that requires Livestock 3% Horses 5% Exotics/Wildlife immediate intervention in order to alleviate Livestock Horses 5% suffering or to preserve life” Livestock 5% Cattle – 25% Domestic Beef – 71% Dairy – 27% Veal – 2% Domestic 88% 88% Poultry – 36% (26% - 2016) Dogs – 75% Sheep – 11% Cats – 22% Goats – 17% Other – 3% Pigs – 11% (Rabbits – 29%, Pocket Pets – 20%) 2

Complaint is Trends in Animal Welfare Orders are received Revoked (File Closed) • Shift from “puppymills” to kijiji Complaint • Exotic sales more prevalent Process Investigator Additional information • Social Media re-attends to is gathered from ensure • “Rescue” organizations very vocal on facebook, blogs complainant compliance etc. Often critical of investigation and accused. • Posts online often have a negative impact to the case during trial and have direct affect on witness credibility. • Many complaints received after posts (video) observed Ontario SPCA online. Investigator Act orders attends property, Issued makes contact (Education) with owner Order to owner of animals: 13. (1) Where an inspector or an agent of the Owner information Society has reasonable grounds for believing that an animal is in distress and the owner or custodian Description of of the animal is present or may be found promptly, animal the inspector or agent may order the owner or custodian to, Description of (a) take such action as may, in the opinion of medical concern (not the inspector or agent, be necessary to relieve diagnosis) the animal of its distress; or Veterinary report (b) have the animal examined and treated by a provided to client or veterinarian at the expense of the owner or to SPCA with consent custodian Compliance time 3

Ontario SPCA Act Section 13(6) “Where an order made under subsection Taking Posession of Animal (1) remains in force, an inspector or an agent of the Section 14. (1) An inspector or an agent of the Society Society may, for the purpose of determining may remove an animal for the purpose of providing whether the order has been complied with, enter it with food, care or treatment to relieve its distress without a warrant any building or place in which the where, animal is located and inspect the animal and the • a) a veterinarian has examined the animal and has building...” advised in writing that the health and well being of the animal necessitates its removal; b) the inspector or agent has reasonable grounds • for believing that the animal is in distress and the owner or custodian of the animal is not present and cannot be found promptly; or c) an order respecting the animal has not been • complied with. Removal Process • An animal removed under Section 14(1) of the Ontario SPCA Act remains the property of the Description of each owner/custodian. animal to be removed (include dog inventory • An animal can be returned to the owner if: number if one assigned • Conditions that resulted in the need for removal have been corrected and, Veterinarian completes • Costs associated with care provided by Society have been paid (or this section after arrangements for payment made) reviewing definition of • Society can apply to the court for an order to keep an distress animal if the owner has been charged and there are Veterinarian signs here reasonable grounds to believe the animal may be before animals are harmed if returned. removed 4

Section 17(1) “The owner or custodian of any animal who considers themselves aggrieved by an order or by the removal of an animal may appeal against Standards of Inspection the order or request the return of the animal”. Care Rights Obligation to Offences Report Regulation (60) Every animal must be provided with adequate and Establishes basic standards of care for all animals appropriate: • Food and water Additional standards for: • Medical attention • Outdoor dogs • Care necessary • Wildlife in Captivity for general welfare • Primates • Resting / sleeping area • Sanitary conditions • Ventilation • Light • Space ( move naturally/ exercise) • Protection from the elements (harmful temp) 5

Dogs that live outdoors must be provided with a structurally sound enclosure at all times • An activity permitted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act in relation to wildlife in the wild • The enclosure must be weather- or fish proof and insulated • An activity carried on in accordance with generally • The size and design must be adequate and appropriate for the accepted practices of agricultural animal care, dog management or husbandry • A chain, rope or restraining • A veterinarian providing veterinary care, or devise used to tether must: boarding an animal as part of its care as per ‐ Be at least three metres long Veterinarians Act ‐ Allow the dog to move safely and unrestricted • Includes a person acting under the supervision of a ‐ Allow the dog to have access veterinarian or acting under the orders of a veterinarian to adequate and appropriate water and shelter Section 18.1 ($60,000 fine and/or up to 2 years in jail) Section 18.1 ($1,000 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail) • Fail to comply with standards of care • Obstruct/interfere with SPCA investigator • Cause/permit an animal to be in distress • Fail to comply with Ontario SPCA order • Train animals to fight/own equipment • Fail to comply with ACRB order • Harm law enforcement animals • Make false report 6

• Know the signs of potential physical abuse (non-accidental injury) Section 11.3 • History doesn’t correspond with the • Every veterinarian that has injuries presented reasonable grounds to • Delay in seeking vet believe that an animal has care been or is being abused or • Clinical signs (old neglected shall report healed or untreated their belief to the Ontario wounds, multiple fractures in various SPCA stages of healing, • Reasonable Grounds : more bruising than a suspicion but less Behavioural signs • than a certainty (extreme fear in presence of owner, depression, failure to thrive) There is a difference between working condition Be aware of cruelty and neglect and muscle wasting Animal abuse involves Intentional cruelty such as deprivation a range of behaviours of food, water, including unintentional shelter, exercise or neglect (lack of education), care Abuse - maliciously harming or killing an animal Thin body condition may be an indication of cruelty and neglect . 7