John Tory PC Leader

July 22, 2007

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory announced today that an Ontario PC Government would take immediate action to protect pets across Ontario by strengthening the province’s weak animal protection legislation.

“Ontario has the weakest domestic animal protection laws in all of Canada,” Tory said. “Decent people have been horrified by the cruelty inflicted on innocent creatures, while Dalton McGuinty has refused to act. He has had four years to fix this problem but he has shown absolutely no leadership on this issue.”

During a visit to a local park, Tory announced that his government would act immediately to introduce legislation based upon a Private Members Bill introduced by MPP Bob Runciman on May 31, 2007. That Bill died when Dalton McGuinty ended the legislative session three weeks early on June 5th.

A John Tory Government would move immediately to:

• Strengthen protection for pets from abuse by amending the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act;
• Expand the Act to include all household pets – not just dogs and cats owned by breeders;
• Catch up to other provinces by creating an offence for causing or permitting household pets to be in distress;
• Punish those found guilty of abusing their pets with penalties of up to two years in jail, fines of up to $60,000 and lifetime bans on pet ownership;
• Make it mandatory for veterinarians to report suspected cases of animal abuse; >li>Ensure that farming and hunting are not unintentionally impacted by including an exemption for accepted practices of animal husbandry and management;
• Work with all parties to ensure fast passage of this legislation.

“This plan would help to address the significant weakness in the current legislation in Ontario," said Ontario SPCA Acting Chief Inspector, Hugh Coghill. “Currently only cats, kittens, dogs and puppies kept for breeding or for sale are protected under the offence section of the Act and this has left thousands of animals in peril.”

“Anyone who cruelly harms a pet deserves to face the full weight of provincial law, and should not be able to continue owning and harming pets,” Tory said. “It’s time Ontario had a Premier who will show leadership by strengthening the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.”