Thursday 25 May 2023

Bravo to Québec solidaire for introducing Bill to Allow Animals in All Housing

Andrés Fontecilla, MNA for Laurier-Dorion and Québec solidaire’s housing critic, introduced a bill today to allow companion animals in rental housing, following through on his commitment in March to introduce the bill before the current session of Parliament comes to an end.

Côte Saint-Luc City Councillor responsible for Animal Welfare Mike Cohen applauded the initiative. "We still have apartments and condo buildings in our community who do not allow dogs or cats," he said. "Bravo to Québec solidaire for taking into account our furry companions."

The MNA made the announcement alongside Québec solidaire spokesperson Manon Massé and Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy and of Legal and Government Affairs at the Montreal SPCA.

“There are 36 days left before July 1, and what we’re seeing in the field is that finding animal-friendly housing in the midst of a housing crisis has become a real uphill battle. It’s already especially tough to find affordable housing this year—it’s even tougher if you have a companion animal. It’s unacceptable that thousands of Quebecers have to choose between giving up their four-legged friend or finding a place to live, when the solution is simple,” said Fontecilla.

Bill 494, introduced by Mr. Fontecilla, would amend the Civil Code to render ineffective lease clauses that prohibit companion animals. Upon entry into force of the law, all new leases would no longer be able to include a prohibition on companion animals. Existing leases would also be covered by the law under a transitional provision.

Animal—and Human—Welfare!

Speaking at the press conference, Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy and of Legal and Governmental Affairs at the Montreal SPCA, reminded the audience of the high number of animals abandoned in Quebec during the rapidly approaching moving season.

“As is the case every year, moving season hits us hard at the Montreal SPCA. Trouble finding animal-friendly housing is one of the main reasons why animals are abandoned at shelters. That’s why we’ve been fighting for over ten years to ban no-pet clauses in residential leases. We are filled with hope as we lend our support to the bill Québec solidaire tabled this morning,” said Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy and of Legal and Government Affairs at the Montreal SPCA.

“The health benefits of having a companion animal are well known; they reduce stress, lower blood pressure and even help alleviate loneliness among those living alone, especially seniors. Some studies even suggest that seniors with a companion animal go to the doctor 30% less than those without! Allowing people to keep their animals in their homes can improve tenants’ well-being at a time when the housing crisis is taking hold,” added Manon Massé.

You may recall that last June, Manon Massé tabled a petition from the Montreal SPCA at the National Assembly calling for a ban on residential lease clauses prohibiting animals, a petition that garnered over 33,000 signatures.

To support the bill click here.

Thursday 5 December 2019

CBC Report: Changes to Quebec's Dangerous Dog Laws

Please note: Côte Saint-Luc City Council will be reviewing these changes to the law as municipalities must take a position.

Starting next year, doctors will be have to report serious dog bites and veterinarians will have to report dogs they think pose a risk to municipalities.

The changes are part of new rules introduced by the Quebec government Wednesday.

Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said the province will compile the information reported by professionals in order to "give us better data regarding dog attacks."

"Hopefully it will prevent some tragic incidents," Guilbault said.

"But it is important to remind everyone that the strictest measures will not eliminate all risk of dog attacks. So we have to remain vigilant."

The new rules, which amend the existing dog law, come into effect March 3, 2020.

Under the law, municipalities have to enforce the province's regulations, which include ordering dangerous dogs to be euthanized.

A municipality can pass its own stricter rules, if it so chooses.

Dominique Alain was jogging in Potton, Que., last March when three dogs attacked her, leaving her with extensive and permanent damage in her arms and legs.

She said she is disappointed by the "lack of courage" demonstrated by the Quebec government, which she sees as "washing its hands" of the issue by pushing it onto the municipalities.

"Not all municipalities have the personnel to manage [the new rules]," she said, pointing to the fact that the dogs that mauled her had already been reported to the town.

'They tore my muscles as if I was their prey': Dog attack survivor wants owners held responsible
Alain, who co-founded AQVAC, a group representing survivors of dog maulings in Quebec, said she was pleased with the mandatory reporting by doctors and vets — but is concerned that some professionals lack necessary expertise in animal behaviour.

"That is if the owner [even] takes their dog to the vet," she said.

Under the current law, the owner of the dog that bites needs to take the animal to the veterinarian for an assessment.

"Would every dog owner … be responsible enough to do so?" she asked.

Instead, she would have liked to see more done to prevent the attacks in the first place, such as mandatory behavioural courses, liability insurance for dog owners, and DNA testing of the dog after a bite to assess the breed.

Vets pleased with new rules
Dr. Caroline Kilsdonk, the president of Quebec's order of veterinarians, said she hopes the new rules will be properly applied.

"All of the attacks of the last few years have taken place in either municipalities that the where the existing regulations were not properly applied, or there wasn't any regulations on dog security," she said.

Caroline Kilsdonk, president of the Quebec Order of Veterinarians, said she's glad veterinarians only have to report cases where they think public safety is at risk. (Maryse Massy/Radio-Canada)
Kilsdonk also praised the government for changing the rules on what veterinarians have to report. Before, vets had to report any injury caused by a dog, something she said "lacked precision" and wasn't efficient.

She said that when a dog feels cornered or afraid, it may "lightly" bite, leaving a scratch or a small wound.

"Depending on the situation the dog was in, all the context surrounding the event, [the bite] can be justified," she said.

Now, veterinarians only have to report cases that they believe are severe enough to pose a risk to public security.

But Kilsdonk said she wonders what the province will do with that information.

"We would like to know that the government will share the information, because dogs can move," she said.

"Can we reasonably think that [an irresponsible] dog owner will report to his new municipality that his dog was declared potentially dangerous? We would think … there's a risk that they won't."

The Quebec government has adopted new regulations for dangerous dogs. Doctors will be obligated to report serious dog bites. Veterinarians will have to report dogs they believe to pose a risk, and municipalities will enforce the rules and order any dog responsible for an attack to be euthanized. We speak with Dominique Alain, who was mauled by three dogs in Potton; and Caroline Kilsdonk the president of the Quebec Order of Veterinarians. 16:54

Saturday 28 July 2018

Animal Welfare Should Be a Provincial Election Issue

Léger Marketing Survey: 72% of Quebecers Believe Animal Welfare Needs to Become a Key Electoral Issue

Montreal, July 27^th 2018 – In the lead-up to the provincial election campaign, the Montreal SPCA asked Léger Marketing to assess the importance of animal welfare and protection in the eyes of Quebec voters. The results of this survey reveal that 72% of the Quebec population considers it important for candidates to address provincial issues affecting animals during their election campaigns.

Citizens of Quebec concerned about animal welfare

“Seven out of ten Quebecers expect their future government to adopt legislative measures and policies designed to ensure the welfare of the province’s animals,” said Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Welfare at the Montreal SPCA. “As we witnessed in last year’s municipal elections in Montreal, animal issues can even play a decisive role in election results,” she added.

SPCA asks main parties to take position

The Montreal SPCA will soon be submitting a questionnaire to all four major political parties to learn more about their positions on various provincial animal welfare issues. The results of the survey conducted by Léger Marketing are undisputable: animal welfare is among the general public’s main concerns. The Montreal SPCA is confident that political parties will act according to the will of voters and commit to improving the fate of animals in Quebec.

Methods

Léger Marketing’s survey was conducted online for the Montreal SPCA between July 20^thand 23^rd, 2018, with a sample size of 1,001 Quebecers. A similar probabilistic survey would have a margin of error of 3.5 points, 19 times out of 20.

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Media contact: Anita Kapuscinska, Communications Director, Montreal SPCA, 514-359-5198, or anitak@spca.com.

About the Montreal SPCA

Founded in Montreal in 1869, we were the first animal welfare society in Canada and our mission is to:

protect animals from neglect, abuse and exploitation
represent their interests and ensure their well-being
raise public awareness and help develop compassion for all sentient beings

For more information about the Montreal SPCA, please visit our website at www.spca.com and follow us on social media.

Saturday 7 July 2018

Côte Saint-Luc Animal Lovers: Saved this date!!!

#NAWC2019 is April 14-15 in Montreal!

Do you work with, care for or advocate for Canada’s animals? Then the National Animal Welfare Conference is the community hub for you!

2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the humane movement in Canada and this country’s first SPCA: Montreal SPCA. Celebrate with us at #NAWC2019 in the beautiful city of Montreal! Our more than 400 annual attendees already know this is a can’t miss event.

In 2019, there will be more content on animal sheltering, humane education and leadership best practices than ever before. We’ll also be offering 101 sessions so that beginners can access content that’s best suited to their level of experience.

For the first time in 2019, we will be offering simultaneous English-to-French translation of our plenaries and some concurrent sessions in French, making the event even more accessible to our community across Canada.

While you’re in Montreal, be sure to come out to the 2019 Animal Welfare Leadership & Innovation Awards to cheer on the heroes of Canadian animal welfare. You can also extend your conference experience and deepen your learning by diving into a day-long workshop on your topic of choice at the 2019 Deep Dive Training Day on April 16.

Who Attends?

The National Animal Welfare Conference welcomes students in any discipline, veterinarians and vet techs, academics, researchers and scientists, animal enforcement personnel, animal care professionals who work with companion animals, farm animals or wildlife, staff from humane societies, SPCAs and animal rescues, animal welfare advocates, policy experts, humane education professionals and members of the general public who want to advance their work for animals.

What Will You Gain?

Learn cutting-edge practices that will help you and your organization work more effectively for Canada’s animals
Build professional connections while learning innovative new solutions to common animal welfare problems
Access practical tips and takeaways from a variety of perspectives to enrich your work and renew your commitment to advancing animal welfare
Network with animal welfare funders and decision-makers from across Canada
Forge new relationships and partnerships
Share your animal welfare knowledge and help to advance animal welfare in Canada
Gain unparalleled access to the best and brightest thinkers in animal welfare today
Choose between 101 and Leadership Learning content so you’re learning at the level that makes sense for you

Sunday 27 March 2016

Beaconsfield rewarded for its new animal welfare legislation

Animal rights group PETA is awarding Beaconsfield a Compassionate City Award after it passed new animal welfare legislation.

Beaconsfield city council recently passed a bylaw and zoning change that protects animals from being abused or neglected. The bylaw includes a ban on puppy and kitten mills and also a ban on the sale of pets.

“Previously we had an animal bylaw that was quite outdated,” said city councillor Karen Messier. “It needed to be changed, so we felt that we would really update it and think in a very forward way to protect animal rights.”

PETA calls the legislation progressive.

“With Beaconsfield setting this example, I'm very hopeful and optimistic that other municipalities and cities across North America and hopefully the world will do similar things,” said PETA spokesperson Daniel Carron.

The owner of Beaconsfield’s only pet shop, Boutique Woof Meow, doesn’t sell animals. Instead, Chris Brown said he encourages people to adopt their pets and often donates food and supplies to animal rescue.

“I think it's a great bylaw. The problem with what's going on lately is that there are always loopholes, there are grey areas,” he said. “People get around the puppy mill thing by doing it in their homes. The bottom line is this covers everything and it really protects the animals.”

Beaconsfield residents say they are glad their community is setting a good example.

“It's a great feeling to be in Beaconsfield and to be getting an award like that,” said resident Christine Ohannessian

Maria Sokolov agrees.

“Every municipality should take a look at this and follow,” she said.

Thursday 2 July 2015

Ditch no-pet clause in Quebec- the message is out there

Quebec animal welfare advocates wants province to ditch no-pet clause

Abandoned pets a serious issue on Quebec's moving day

By Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press Posted: Jul 01, 2015 9:05 AM ET Last Updated: Jul 01, 2015 3:29 PM ET

Smokey, right, and her kitten Milou are shown here in their temporary home at the Montreal SPCA on Tuesday. (CP Handout/Montreal SPCA/Anita Kapuscinska)

Quebec shelters are bracing for the annual influx of animals left behind during the province's "moving day," although advocates are hopeful the government will eventually consider ditching a no-pet clause invoked by landlords.

Every year, thousands of Quebecers switch addresses on July 1, the date most apartment leases expire.

Mass moves coupled with the legal right of landlords to insert no-pet clauses in leases result in a dearth of animal-friendly rental accommodations and leave many pets in shelters or on the street.

"It's really sad to be seeing families torn apart like this," said Anita Kapuscinska, spokeswoman for the Montreal branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"The majority of people that are affected are those with limited incomes because their choice of residence is limited as well."

Quebec introduced a bill earlier this year that, if passed, would see the status of animals upgraded from "movable property" to "sentient beings."

Kapuscinska said advocates will recommend an amendment to that bill during consultations later this year to end the no-pet clause, which they call discriminatory.

Petition calls for changes

A 22,000-name petition calling for the change was presented to the provincial legislature in June.

"We're going to work tirelessly to amend our Civil Code to include a prohibition of the categorical use of no-pet clauses," Kapuscinska said.

Hans Brouillette, a spokesman for an association representing Quebec landlords, says members have had bad experiences with pets and want to maintain the status quo.

Brouillette said landlords were surveyed a few years ago and about three per cent were OK with tenants having a dog while 19 per cent were open to it under conditions. They were more flexible when it came to cats.

'We are very, very certain that if the no-pet clauses in residential leases were declared null and void, our abandonment rates would drop significantly during this period.'- Anita Kapuscinska, Montreal SPCA

He said it's often other tenants who complain about pets, citing factors like noise, safety and cleanliness.

The clause is often ignored, according to Brouillette, with landlords finding a wide array of unexpected animals as tenants come and go — from the typical cats and dogs to pigs and snakes in more exceptional cases.

The SPCA wants Quebec to take inspiration from places like Ontario, Belgium and France, which have invalidated clauses prohibiting pets in rental properties while ensuring proper recourse if there's animal-related damage.

But Brouillette suggested the clause helps prevent problems such as lengthy delays for hearings and decisions at the province's rental board.

"There's no way for them to be sure the tenant will respect the rules, correct the situation and pay the landlord if there's any damage," Brouillette said.

Capacity at the busy Montreal shelter nearly triples this time of year — from 600 in a typical month to 1,600 per month between early June and late August as tenants struggle to find pet-friendly apartments.

"We are very, very certain that if the no-pet clauses in residential leases were declared null and void, our abandonment rates would drop significantly during this period," Kapuscinska said.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. C

Sunday 7 June 2015

A great step forward for animal welfare in Quebec

Quebec to amend Civil Code to

better protect animals from

abuse

Quebec looks to revamp animal welfare laws to be more in step with European Union on eve of trade deal

By Martin Ouellet, The Canadian Press Posted: Aug 09, 2014 9:21 AM ET Last Updated: Aug 09, 2014 9:21 AM ET

Once the Quebec Civil Code is amended, cats, dogs and other animals will no longer be considered as "personal property" but as living, "sentient" creatures. (CBC)

Quebec's new agriculture minister is promising to clean up the province's bad reputation as one of the best places to be an animal abuser.

Pierre Paradis said new legislation is in the works that will redefine the status of an animal in the province's Civil Code and improve its protection.

"I want to go as quickly as possible," Paradis told The Canadian Press. "It's among my legislative priorities."

Once the Civil Code is amended, cats, dogs and other animals will no longer be considered as "personal property" but as living, "sentient" creatures. That is a formula that has already been adopted by several European countries.

He said he has reached an agreement in principle with Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée that would give critters more status before the courts than inanimate property such as a chair or table.

'If you're not part of this movement, you're going to be excluded.'- Pierre Paradis, agriculture minister, on adopting new animal welfare rules

"We were inspired by what was done in France, where they redefined the concept of the animal as a being that is capable of feeling pain," Paradis said. "We're looking into the judicial consequences of that but we don't want it (the animal) to remain personal property."

The change in status means the courts will consider pain and suffering when imposing penalties or fines on abusers.

While recognizing the sentient nature of an animal will not give it the same type of rights as for humans, it will increase the obligations on owners and breeders toward their charges.

Paradis noted that there is a demand for better treatment of animals and it has already been heard in Europe.

"We're seeing how things are evolving in Europe on agricultural farms — there are larger cages for pigs and more space for chickens. If you're not part of this movement, you're going to be excluded."

Deal with Europe an influence

Indeed, the commercial impetus for laws protecting animals is as key as the humanitarian one.

Quebec best place to abuse animals, report says

Paradis noted competitors could squeeze Quebec out of the market if it doesn't treat its animals better.

"We're right in the middle of a free-trade deal with Europe and we will be affected if we do not adjust," he said.

The agriculture department is responsible for carrying out inspections and Paradis said the tight financial situation prevents adding resources. The department's 250 inspectors are charged with ensuring the quality of food and agricultural infrastructure as well as the well-being of animals.

Paradis has not been idle in the meantime when it comes to animal rights.

In June, he announced the establishment of a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week tip line where people could report animal abuse.

Quebec has long road ahead

The initiative has drawn praise from Quebec's Order of Veterinarians.

However, Quebec has a long way to go in its fight to protect its four-footed residents.

The province has long been criticized for being home to miserable puppy mills. Mistreated calves were discovered recently on a farm in Pont-Rouge.

The San Francisco-based Animal Legal Defense Fund also recently put Quebec among the best places to be an animal abuser.

The province and Nunavut were cited in the June 16 statement as having the worst animal protection laws in Canada. Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia and Nova Scotia were credited with having the best laws.

It was not the first year Quebec has been singled out.

"Gandhi said the evolution of a society can be judged in the way it treats its animals," said Paradis. "There's room for evolution here."

Quebec's intentions are drawing some praise.

Martine Lachance, director of a research group in animal law at the Université du Quebec à Montréal, welcomed the idea of abandoning the notion of animals as "property."

"We're telling people, 'you can no longer treat animals as inert, property with no emotions,'" she said. "This will force people to be aware, it will force the courts to act. There will be change, that's for sure."

Once the Civil Code has been updated, "Quebec judges will have no choice, in my opinion, to be a bit more coercive," she said.

BIRNBAUM EXPRESSES SATISFACTION WITH BILL IMPROVING LEGAL STATUS OF ANIMALS

COTE ST-LUC, JUNE 11, 2015 – D’Arcy-McGee MNA David Birnbaum, expressed his satisfaction with Bill 54, deposited by Agriculture Minister PIerre Paradis in the National Assembly on June 5, 2015. The bill proposes important changes which will improve the legal status of animals.

The purpose of this Bill is to hold people accountable for reprehensible behaviour by modifying the Civil Code of Québec so that animals are recognized as sentient beings having biological needs, rather than as "movable property."

"By tabling this Bill, our government is showing that it is willing to act strongly against negligence of and cruelty towards animals," explained Mr. Birnbaum. "I know that residents of our riding believe that humane treatment of animals is important, in fact, the city of Cote St. Luc has been a pioneer in championing such measures."

This Bill improving the legal status of animals will be the subject of parliamentary committee consultations in the Fall. In addition, anyone interested in learning more or in commenting on the Bill may consult the National Assembly's website:

www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/exprimez-votre-opinion/commenter.html#Commenterprojetdeloi.

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Source:

Elisabeth Prass

Bureau Chief

514-488-7028

Animal Protection in CSL