Christy Clark, speaks at a press conference at the SPCA in Vancouver on April 5, 2011. It is regarding a report on cruelty to sled dogs, and other animals.
VANCOUVER, Canada — British Columbia got a "terrible black eye" around the world after a mass slaughter of sled dogs near Whistler last April, but it is moving forward by planning to implement the highest animal protection standards in Canada by toughening its Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act this fall, Premier Christy Clark said after releasing the much anticipated Sled Dog Task Force report Tuesday.According to report, as many as 100 sled dogs were slaughtered near the resort town of Whistler.
The allegations that dozens of animals were shot and dumped in a mass grave last April made headlines around the world earlier this year, casting a cloud over the province's tourism industry as it was still basking in the afterglow of the 2010 Winter Olympics.- The slaughter led to an ongoing criminal investigation by B.C.'s SPCA and prompted the province to launch a sweeping review of the dog-sled industry.
- The report from that government review was released Tuesday along with 10 recommendations, including significantly tougher penalties for animal cruelty, mandatory standards for sled-dog operators and increased funding for the SPCA.
Premier Christy Clark immediately endorsed all of the report's recommendations, which were drafted by a task force led by a member of the governing Liberal caucus. - Clark said the province will increase the maximum penalty in animal cruelty cases to a $75,000 fine, 24 months in jail, or both. The current law allows for a maximum fine of $10,000 and a maximum jail sentence of six months. The changes will also extend the current six-month statute of limitations in such cases.
- The premier said the government will immediately provide an additional $100,000 to the SPCA for its investigations, and she raised the possibility that further funding increases could follow.
The province will require veterinarians to report cases of animal cruelty, appoint a dedicated prosecutor to handle such cases and create policies to ensure public-sector agencies also report abuse. The province's workers' compensation board, which first learned of the slaughter last year, faced criticism for not reporting it to the SPCA.Clark also pledged to lobby Ottawa to toughen animal cruelty provisions in the Criminal Code.
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