Pets Canada continues to engage with decision-makers at all levels of government to advance the welfare of pets and fair representation of the pet sector across the country. We are working to develop and achieve important advocacy outcomes that will support your business and the health of Canada’s pets. Here are some recent highlights of our ongoing efforts.
Federal
We have been closely watching the progress of Bill S-241 in the Senate, known in short as the “Jane Goodall Act.” The Act’s purpose is to amend the Criminal Code to create offenses respecting wild species and certain other non-domesticated animals in captivity, including respective captive breeding. Through strategic lobbying and engagement with senators, we are working to ensure this legislation protects the welfare of pets. As of June 8th, the bill was sent to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and we will be monitoring its progress.
As we look ahead to the rest of 2023, we are actively preparing for a lobby day on Parliament Hill. During our lobby day, we will meet with relevant elected officials, senators, and bureaucrats to discuss the issues that matter most to our members. In preparation, we will be sending you our key issues consultation survey. This is a short series of questions that will determine the topics to be focused on during the event and into 2024.
Provincial
Pets Canada was invited by the MAPAQ (Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation) to attend a press conference in Québec. The announcement focused on animal welfare in Quebec particularly :
• An investment of 8 million dollars to hire 20 additional inspectors to respond to animal abuse complaints and
• Consultation rounds with stakeholders on feline and canine welfare between May and September across the province with the objective to mobilize all the various groups, deepen the discussions and strengthen the communication channels for better coordination.
In anticipation of a round table discussion including government and partners in animal welfare, we met with our breeder members to bring forward their concerns and ideas on the three main themes around permits, inspection processes and responsible adoptions. The government will table a report before the end of this year to implement over the next 4 year.Municipal
The team at Pets Canada exhibited at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Toronto a few weeks ago where we met with mayors and council members from across the country.
Discussions centered on local pet-related legislation, businesses, and infrastructure. It was an excellent opportunity to learn and confirm which issues are top of mind for cities and towns in Canada.
Supporting Pet Sector Agencies
Pets Canada was very happy to host some hardworking fellow pet agencies at the Calgary Pet Industry Show. The Animal Food Bank and Animal Blood Bank, Canadian Council on Invasive Species, and The Alberta Reptile and Amphibian Society (TARAS) were able to leverage the event to speak about their missions and discuss potential partnerships. Collaboration is key to addressing the well-being of Canada’s pets.
Attended TARAS Calgary Reptile Expo and met with many amazing reptile breeders and retailers. All of the show exhibitors took the opportunity to educate every visitor they spoke to. Every animal being exhibited was health checked by one of the 3 on-site veterinarians. The show was very well attended and helped raise dollars that will go towards TARAS programs such as bursaries for veterinarian students in the specialty pet field of study. TARAS is a member of Pets Canada and we are happy to support the efforts of this volunteer-run organization.
