Dear Member of Parliament,
I am writing to urge you to support Bill C-373, a private member’s bill introduced on October 30th,
2006 by Ajax-Pickering MP Mark Holland.
As you may know, the current animal cruelty provisions in the Criminal Code do not adequately
address severe instances of animal cruelty and abuse. The law is nearly 115 years old, and reflects
the values of a bygone era. The current laws don’t properly protect wild or stray animals. Penalties
are laughable, and are completely ineffective as a deterrent for these crimes.
Bill C-373 strikes an excellent balance between protection of animals and protection of lawful
activities such as fishing, hunting, trapping, farming and scientific research. Among other changes,
Bill C-373 will extend equal protection to owned and unowned animals (including strays and wildlife);
will remove animal cruelty crimes from the property section of the Criminal Code, and will make it
easier to prosecute those who neglect their animals to the extreme.
Bill C-373 is identical to the various bills on this issue that have been introduced in the House of
Commons over the last seven years. A previous version of Bill C-373 – C-10B – came excruciatingly
close to becoming law in 2003 and was supported by the vast majority of Canadians, most animal
industry groups, animal protection groups as well as all parties in the House but was held up by the
Senate and then died due to the election.
By urging you to support Bill C-373, I am also urging you NOT to support Bill S-203 (formerly S-213),
a private bill to amend the animal cruelty provisions of the Criminal Code introduced in the Senate by
Senator John Bryden.
Bill S-203 is wholly inadequate. While it does increase penalties, it makes no changes to the current
offences: it does not close the gaping holes in the current legislation, and will continue to allow
animal abusers to go unpunished.
Sincerely,