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Animal Rights Legislation! Mar 10/08 Print E-mail
Monday, 10 March 2008 06:39
Dear Tami,

Noah is a small dog who was found at the edge of a river with a plastic bag duct taped over his head and his back legs bound so tightly that one of them needed to be amputated. Since it could not be proven that Noah was owned, it is virtually impossible to convict the individual responsible for this crime with animal cruelty.

Bill S-203 is a very dangerous piece of proposed legislation that will ensure that animals like Noah will continue to be virtually unprotected.

Our animal cruelty team is up on Parliament Hill right now as MPs are debating Bill S-203. Many MPs are still undecided on how to vote - it's not too late to help them make up their minds!

Please help stop the passage of Bill S-203 by calling or writing to your MP today.

Bill S-203 is ineffective and inadequate, maintaining the same outdated language that is in the current legislation, which was written in 1892. S-203 is 115 year old legislation.

Bill S-203 leaves animals vulnerable to cruelty and neglect

The overwhelming majority of Canadians oppose Bill S-203 because it maintains the loopholes and outdated language that makes our animal cruelty legislation ineffective and largely unenforceable. However, on February 14th, Conservative, Liberal and Bloc members of the House of Commons Committee on Justice and Human Rights passed Bill S-203. The NDP was the only party to oppose it!

It’s not too late to stop S-203. In April all MPs will have an opportunity to represent their constituents and vote against S-203. MPs need to hear our voices and be accountable to us.

Why Bill S-203 is flawed:

* S-203 reinforces inadequacies and loop holes in the current legislation maintaining its ineffectiveness in gaining convictions. * S-203 continues to make it nearly impossible to punish crimes of neglect. * S-203 continues to legalize the breeding of animals to fight each other.

Canada's animal cruelty legislation is lagging behind other countries such as Austria, Malaysia and the Philippines: this is unacceptable. Bill S-203 will do nothing to modernize Canada's animal cruelty laws.

Please call your MP and tell him/her that:

* You oppose Bill S-203 because is not based on broad consultation, it doesn’t address the flaws in the current law and it is opposed by all animal welfare organizations. * Voting in favour of bill S-203 loses your vote at the polls. * As a Canadian you expect modern legislation to protect animals from cruelty and you expect your MP to stand up for what you want - Vote against Bill S-203!

For the animals,

Olivier Bonnet Director IFAW Canada