For a century, animal cruelty investigations have been offloaded to charities. Only crimes against animals have been treated this way. But that’s about to change in Ontario.
KENDRA COULTER: ‘Who should enforce animal cruelty laws and how? This is an important question that deserves careful consideration. It has serious implications for vulnerable animals, the safety of front-line officers, victims of domestic violence and public safety overall. Finding the best possible answer to this question has become urgent in my home province of Ontario. For a century, animal cruelty investigations have been offloaded to charities. Only crimes against animals have been treated this way. But that’s about to change. The OSPCA has announced it will end its law enforcement work. The era of charity-based animal cruelty enforcement in Ontario is over…
People view fighting animal cruelty as a public responsibility. They want crimes against animals to be taken more seriously by our government, law enforcers, Crown attorneys and judges… There are high to very high levels of public support for most public enforcement options. Involvement of provincial police, local police, specialized anti-cruelty units and partnerships between police and animal welfare charities (which could provide support, animal care, etc.) are particularly popular options…
So which of Ontario’s public organizations are best prepared to most effectively integrate humane law enforcement, protect animals and people and properly equip, train and support officers — and to do so soon There are clear reasons for general police forces — the experts in law enforcement — to respond first to animal cruelty complaints. These include investigator safety and the importance of the initial investigation for vulnerable animals and people, and the correct identification of evidence. A specialized provincial animal crimes unit could be even more effective.
Why? Dedicated officers would be experts. They would be thoroughly trained and equipped with essential knowledge about law enforcement protocols, different kinds of animals and the demands of cruelty investigations specifically. The officers in this unit could enlist many tools, including issuing tickets for minor to modest infractions or more serious penalties when warranted. For situations where education or the locating of resources is more appropriate, these officers would have the necessary knowledge and networks’. SOURCE…
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