Animal Cruelty Legislation

Humane Canada is happy to report the passage of Bill S-5 through the Senate! This Bill will now move on to the House of Commons to set concrete, legal requirements for the elimination of animal toxicity testing. Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act, amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), one of Canada’s core environmental laws. 

 Through the months of May and June, the Senate Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources engaged in many hours of discussion and deliberation on possible amendments. We were honoured to be invited to testify before the Senate Committee and raise concerns about the welfare of these animals. We outlined for Senators the devastating impacts of toxicity testing as well as the alternatives available, urging the committee to take important steps in creating a more humane country.  

Humane Canada proposed a number of amendments to the bill that would mandate and accelerate the elimination of animal testing, including: 

• Requiring the Ministers to publish a plan, specifying initiatives, to promote the development and use of non-animal methods. 
• Requiring the government to encourage development and use of alternatives. 
• Preventing the government from relying on animal testing data where alternatives exist. 

These amendments were brought forward by the Senate and included in the latest version of the bill that will now be considered in the House of Commons. We celebrate that this important bill now sets out concrete, legal requirements for the phased elimination of animal toxicity testing and supports the development of animal-free testing alternatives.   
 
Right now, animals are still suffering in labs across the country as they are exposed to painful laboratory testing. Animals like rabbits, mice, rats, and even dogs are victims of this inhumane experimentation for results that are often inconclusive or insufficient.Toxicity testing is the most harmful type of animal use in Canadian science. 
 
Humane Canada will continue our efforts to bring an end to all cosmetic and toxicity testing involving animals, and we are one giant step closer to making that a reality. We are grateful to the Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez for her commitment and leadership in bringing forward the important amendments and to all the Senators and animal welfare partner groups for their support. 

Our progress and successes wouldn't be possible without your help. Donations are critical to support the work we do to better protect animals. Thank you. 

Links:

• Read Bill S-5
• Humane Canada