Ontario to introduce new animal welfare legislation

Ontario's solicitor general was expected to introduce new legislation on Tuesday that she said would strengthen the
province's animal cruelty laws.

Sylvia Jones said the bill dubbed the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act would include new enforcement measures and penalties.

"Under the proposed model, the province will update prohibitions ... not allowing dog fighting equipment to be returned to its owners, have inspectors partner with local police on criminal investigation, (and) train Crown attorneys to better support animal welfare prosecutions," she said.

If passed, the law will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

The changes come after the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said earlier this year that it would no longer investigate and enforce animal cruelty laws, as it had done since 1919.

The role of the OSPCA came into question in January when a judge ruled the province erred when it gave the private charity policing powers without also imposing accountability and transparency standards.