PETITION TARGET: RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
Some 300 dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, and cows who were in physical and mental distress, denied veterinary care, and kept in terrible conditions — some in so much agony that they needed to be immediately euthanized — were seized from two rural Alberta, Canada properties, according to CTV News. The scale of the horrific neglect was so massive that even experienced animal care professionals were humbled by the scene.
Cases such as this inspired lawmakers a new bill that aims to give peace officers more authority to intervene when animals are suffering and to hold abusers accountable.
The proposed Animal Protection Amendment Act, known as Bill 22, would update how the province defines animal distress and abandonment. Clearer definitions would help peace officers step in when animals are left without proper shelter, sanitation, or care. The bill would also expand the places officers can inspect. Boarding kennels, grooming facilities, and other animal-related businesses could be checked to ensure animals are treated safely.
If passed, the law would impose tougher penalties for people who harm animals. Maximum fines would increase from $20,000 to $250,000, and serious offenses could lead to jail terms of up to 12 months. The bill would also allow Alberta to enforce prohibition orders from other provinces, a first in Canada, helping to stop repeat offenders who relocate to avoid consequences.
These changes, according to Leanna Niblock, executive director of the Alberta SPCA, “will further strengthen accountability and deterrence and show the public that animals are important and deserve the full force of the law.”
Alberta’s animals deserve safety, dignity, and meaningful protection. No animal should ever endure the horrific suffering seen in the recent massive cruelty case.
Please sign our petition urging lawmakers to support Bill 22 so that animals have stronger protections against neglect and abuse.
