Over the past few years, the VHS has called for changes to B.C.’s regulations on wild animals in captivity. All B.C. residents can help by raising this issue with their MLA in a call or meeting.
You don’t need to be an expert to make an impact. Instead, what’s important is that they hear why this issue matters to you. You can ask them to raise the issue, along with the VHS’s recommendations, with the B.C. Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.
Provincial decision-makers have previously noted that the regulations for animals in captivity are due for review, without a timeline for action. The VHS has provided clear recommendations for how the regulations need to be updated to better protect animal welfare, but action continues to be delayed and animals continue to suffer as a result.
The VHS will continue to advocate for wild and exotic animals in captivity.
Can you help by engaging with your MLA on to help protect animals? To find your MLA’s contact information, head to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia website and enter your postal code.
Short on time? Use the quick email tool to send a message to your MLA today!
Wild and exotic animals in captivity
B.C.’s outdated wild and exotic animal captivity regulations allow for many species to be kept as pets or in captive facilities, despite the difficulty in meeting their complex physical and psychological needs. Numerous incidents in recent years at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, including the escape of wolves from the zoo in the summer of 2022 which tragically resulted in the death of one wolf, reiterate the urgent need for updating the province’s regulations.
“Think about the worst thing you think could happen to an animal in Canada … I guarantee that what’s out there is a thousand times worse.”
The VHS was recently joined by Zoocheck founder Rob Laidlaw to share his decades of experience advocating for the well-being of animals. Read or listen to the discussion on the VHS’s exclusive podcast, The Informed Animal Ally.