July 27, 2024Is it bad to ride elephants in Thailand? Swim with the dolphins? Buy a shell necklace? Take photos with tigers? Drink civet cat coffee? Or generally attempt to get close to wildlife for a close-up view or photo? Experiences with wild, exotic or endangered animals seem exciting, but travellers can harm animals without even knowing …
Continue reading “Six ways to be a responsible wildlife tourist”
News Category: Take action, Wildlife
July 5, 2024Do you have thoughts about how sheep should be raised in Canada? Now is your chance to take a short survey to share your concerns about sheep welfare and make a difference for sheep raised for meat, milk, and wool in Canada. Update: this survey has now closed. The National Farm Animal Care Council has …
Continue reading “Speak up for sheep”
News Category: Farm, Take action
June 10, 2024Many Canadians care deeply about farmed animal welfare but sometimes feel powerless to make a difference. However, you can help farmed animals in many important ways, including speaking up for them! Canada’s Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals set important rules for ensuring farmed animal welfare nationally. Everyone, from farmers …
Continue reading “How your input shapes the Codes of Practice and sets farmed animal welfare standards”
News Category: Farm, Take action
May 6, 2024Are you passionate about the welfare of equines in Canada? Now is your chance to share your concerns about equine welfare and make a difference for horses, ponies, miniature horses, donkeys, mules, and hinnies across the country. The National Farm Animal Care Council has announced that the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling …
Continue reading “Canada’s Code of Practice for Equines to be updated”
News Category: Farm, Take action
April 22, 2024New rules are being developed for cattle raised for beef in Canada – what key issues for beef cattle should be the focus? Every year, over 10 million cattle are raised for beef production in Canada. For the first time since 2013, the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle (the …
Continue reading “Share your thoughts on beef cattle welfare in just three minutes”
News Category: Farm, Take action
March 27, 2024In 2023, the BC SPCA participated in a committee formed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food to review and recommend improvements to the farmed animal welfare framework in British Columbia. The committee developed recommendations that touch on training, transportation and processing sectors, along with integrating and prioritizing farmed animals in emergency response. They also …
Continue reading “Recommendations to improve the welfare and protections of farmed animals in B.C. presented to Ministry of Agriculture and Food”
News Category: Farm, Take action
March 7, 2024UPDATE: Health Canada has announced a complete ban on strychnine use in Canada after consulting the public and stakeholders. All uses of strychnine will be illegal by September 7, 2024 and all registrations of strychnine will be cancelled. While this decision is a very positive outcome for animal welfare, this ban does not apply to …
Continue reading “Health Canada has announced a complete ban on strychnine use—a positive outcome for animal welfare”
News Category: Take action, Wildlife
February 12, 2024Update: The bill to ban live horse export for slaughter from Canada has passed the House of Commons Agriculture Committee! Bill C-355 will now go for a final vote in the House of Commons before moving to the Senate. The bill is another step closer to hopefully becoming law. Thank you for speaking up for horses …
Continue reading “Support the bill to end the live export of Canadian horses for slaughter”
News Category: Farm, Take action
December 7, 2023In April 2022, with the help of thousands of our supporters, the BC SPCA called on the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC) to enact a bylaw ban on canine devocalization. On November 13, 2023, veterinarians across the province voted overwhelmingly in favour of a debarking ban. This means that effective immediately, dogs in …
Continue reading “Important update: BC SPCA calls for ban on dog debarking”
News Category: Pet care, Take action