Dawson City Citizen's Forum

Animal Protection Act (Territorial Government)

posted by Aedes, 30.06.2006, 09:51

Over the past year the Humane Society Dawson worked very hard on a sad and frustrating situation involving a large collection of dogs. This situation clarified numerous shortcomings of the Animal Protection Act (APA) as well as other Territorial companion and domestic animal legislation and the Cruelty to Animals section of the Criminal Code.

The Humane Society Dawson recommends that action on the following points is needed to better manage animal abuse and neglect in the Yukon:

- The APA should be revised to include specific standards of care and a section to address hoarding along with the associated offences and penalties. Consultation with animal welfare organisations, enforcement agencies, the mushing community, and other domestic and companion animal focused groups across the Territory should be sought. It is crucial that this legislation be functional in every community in the Yukon.

- Greater resources need to be made available for small humane societies and animal shelters. If we are to function as official animal keepers to house, feed, and care for various animals and varying numbers of animals seized under the Act, adequate funding has to be provided whether or not charges are successfully processed.

- The APA currently describes Special Officers and their role. We believe that the Yukon Government should hire and train Special Officers to enforce the APA. These officers should not be solely based out of Whitehorse as rapid assessment of a situation is often required no matter where it occurs in the Yukon.

If you have questions about the legislation or would like to help move this issue forward, please contact the Humane Society Dawson at 993 6900 or hsdawson@yknet.ca.

Complete thread:

• Animal Protection Act - Aedes, 30.06.2006, 09:51 (Territorial Government)