Canada lagging in animal welfare

Saturday, January 31, 2015

In a new international survey of legislative commitment to animal welfare, Canada's D ranking puts it behind the times, according to the Animal Protection Index published by World Animal Protection (WAP), reports the Globe and Mail. The index ranks 50 countries from A to G based on 15 different areas, including legal protections for animals used in farming. The chosen countries are among the world's largest producers of pork, beef, poultry, sheep, goat, milk and eggs.

Canada's D puts it behind most of Europe, but also behind developing nations like India, the Philippines and Brazil. WAP spokesperson Melissa Matlow told the Globe and Mail that the Criminal Code anti-cruelty law has had few changes since it was drafted over a century ago. "That's a big problem," Matlow added. "It doesn't reflect attitudes toward animals that are changing."

In an online statement, Josey Kitson, executive director of WAP Canada, said: "Canada has the potential to be a world leader in protecting our animals, but instead we are missing even basic legal frameworks to protect them."

Of the 50 countries surveyed, only four managed to get an A rating. The full index is available at api.worldanimalprotection.org. BP