Legal Defense Fund Ranks Canadian Provinces On Animal Protection

May 27, 2009 11:55 a.m. EST

Cotati, CA (AHN) - In a dramatic turnaround Ontario moved from worst protector of animal rights to best this year in the annual ranking of Canadian provinces made by the U.S.-based Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Ontario toppled Manitoba from the top spot. Manitoba is now ranked second. On the bottom of the list are the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, which is mired in controversy over the seal hunt.

The fund based the ranking on a comparative analysis of animal protection laws in each Canadian province based on 12 categories of legal provisions.

Stephen Otto, director of legislative affairs of ALDF and the report's author, said in a statement, "Our report moves beyond the federal laws to identify what each province and territory is going individually for animal protection... We continue to see a wide range of disparity across the country. However, regardless of where each jurisdiction currently ranks in the report, all still have room for improvement."

The report grouped the Canadian provinces and territories into three. Aside from Ontario and Manitoba, included in the top tier group are British Columbia and Nova Scotia. On the middle tier are Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon. On the bottom tier, aside from Northwest Territories and Nunavut are New Brunswick and Quebec.

Among the existing strengths the fund identified in Ontario which caused its vast improvement in ranking are that its principal protection apply to most animals, the wide range of protections, some prohibitions apply to owners and non-owners, penalties include fines and jail terms and higher penalties for repeat animal abusers.