By Barbara Cartwright | CEO
2015 is wrapping up and we wanted to share with you two pieces of news that have been made possible through your support. Your donations are making it possible for us to expose puppy mills for what they really are – factories churning out puppies for profit, with zero regard for their wellbeing.
In 2015 we launched our task force to gather evidence and provide expert advice about the realities of puppy mills and irresponsible breeding. As of this month we are pleased to say that our task force now includes 6 members from across Canada (Alberta, BC, New Brunswick and Ontario) and members with expertise in investigations, enforcement, policy and outreach, veterinary medicine, and shelter animal care.
Our second piece of news is that on December 4, animals in Quebec were declared sentient beings thanks to a bill championed by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Pierre Paradis.
CFHS was asked to consult on this bill and you can read our latest post here http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/barbara-cartwright/quebec-animal-welfare-law_b_8749820.html
Imperfect as it is, this law is a major coup -- and the fact that it passed unanimously shows that meaningful change is possible in Quebec. Over the years, Quebec has earned a reputation for being the puppy mill capital of Canada due to its weak animal welfare laws, which have provided a safe haven for hundreds, if not thousands, of disreputable breeders.
Right now all we have are best guesses, there are no reliable Canadian statistics on the scope of puppy mills. A conservative estimate puts the number of puppy mills in Canada in the thousands. The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies and our members want to fund a first-of-its-kind report that will expose the puppy mills that operate behind glossy websites, and innocent-looking Kijiji posts that will show Canadians the extent of the abuse that results from puppies being treated as profitable products in a country where animals aren’t adequately protected under the law.
This report will provide a first estimate of the scale of puppy mill operations in Canada and ensure that everyone who cares about this issue will have solid arguments and numbers to use in their work towards better laws and policies in Canada. This kind of research has been needed for years and, at CFHS, we're doing something about it. This report will help us understand how big the issue is in Canada and provide solutions to address it.
As a national organization with no core funding, we can't take on a project of this size without donations from the public. That's why you’re support has been so important and we hope we can continue to count on you to make this project a reality.
Please subscribe to Humane News for updates on this and other stories on animal welfare and please support our critical work in creating a more Humane Canada.
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By Barbara Cartwright | CEO
By Jan Ditchfield | Fund Development Manager
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