The BC SPCA is encouraging members of the public to show their support for Bill C-84, which broadens the definition of bestiality and expands provisions against animals used for fighting.
Bill C-84 was introduced by former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould in October after she received a petition signed by animal lovers across Canada. The bill includes amendments to section 445.1(1)(b) and 447 of the Criminal Code. The amendments cover promoting, arranging and profiting from animal fighting as well as breeding, training or transporting an animal to fight. The bill would also ban the keeping of an arena for the purposes of animal fighting.
The legislation would also amend the definition of bestiality in section 160 of the Criminal Code to clarify that it involves any contact for a sexual purpose between a person and an animal. This effectively closes a legal loophole discovered in a case that went to the Supreme Court in 2016. Judges would also be able to ban anyone convicted of bestiality from having animals in their custody. Another amendment would require those convicted of bestiality to be registered on Canada’s National Sex Offender Registry.
Bill C-84 is before the House of Commons for third reading after it passed committee. Help better protect animals from physical and sexual abuse. Send a letter to your federal Member of Parliament asking them to support Bill-C-84 today.