An Alberta woman is calling for changes to the way pets are dealt with under provincial family law, after similar changes in B.C. earlier this year.
An advocate in Alberta has launched a petition asking that the Alberta goverment follow B.C.’s lead in considering pets as more than property under family law.
The provincial government in B.C. made changes to the Family Law Act this past January. With these changes, pets are no longer treated as “property” in divorce and separation proceedings, recognizing their safety, well-being, and place as part of the family.
Animals still considered property under Canadian Law
Animals are still considered property under federal law. The Vancouver Humane Society, along with animal protection organizations and experts across the country, is calling on the federal government to recognize animals as sentient beings with a new petition.
Can you support this important initiative and help strengthen legal protections for animal well-being?
Animal advocates have renewed calls to boycott horse races after another animal was injured and euthanized at Hastings Racecourse last week.
“Animal advocates have renewed calls to boycott horse races after another animal was injured and euthanized at Hastings Racecourse last week.”
“The Vancouver Humane Society said the four-year-old horse – named Lucky Cowboy – suffered a compound fracture to his front leg during a race on Friday.”
“Another horse named Be Sparky was hurt earlier in the evening and removed from the course, according to the group.”
“‘This is not an isolated incident,’ said Emily Pickett, VHS campaign director, in a statement. ‘Horses like Lucky Cowboy and Be Sparky are paying the ultimate price for human entertainment, and we cannot stand by while horses continue to die.'”
Read the article in CTV News Vancouver and take the pledge not to attend horse races.
Newly released access to information documents from the Japanese government show at least 21 horses died during or in the days after being flown from Canada for slaughter in Japan between May 2023 and June 2024. That contradicts information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
New reports obtained by animal advocacy groups in Japan reveal 21 horses died after export from Canada for slaughter – far more than reports from Canadian regulators indicate.
“Newly released access to information documents from the Japanese government show at least 21 horses died during or in the days after being flown from Canada for slaughter in Japan between May 2023 and June 2024. “
“That contradicts information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, suggesting serious incidents are not being reported to the regulator. In February, a CFIA representative told a House of Commons committee the agency is aware of only five horse deaths related to air shipments since 2013.”
For the first time, the same shipments of Canadian horses being sent to Japan for slaughter have been documented leaving Canada & landing overseas. Animal Justice is releasing new groundbreaking footage of these harrowing journeys, breaking the 28-hour legal time limit for travel. Take action: https://bit.ly/4bkINJn
This is the second time this year that Canadian regulators have been found underreporting the severity of horse suffering during transport. In June, Animal Justice released an exposé which revealed the gruelling journeys of horses exported from Canada for slaughter regularly exceed legal limits.
Last week, the Vancouver Humane Society filed a cruelty complaint to the BC SPCA regarding serious welfare issues at a rodeo event in Coombs.
In the footage, multiple bulls are repeatedly prodded when they are unable to move freely.
Another video shows a horse falling and being kicked in the head to make him stand up.
The Vancouver Island Western Heritage Association (VIWHA), which organizes the rodeo in Coombs, has since responded to the incident. Their response takes no accountability for the mistreatment of animals and attempts to misdirect attention from recurring issues.
Rodeo response deflects criticism despite video evidence
The response from organizers fails to take accountability for repeated use of electric prods and other welfare issues throughout the event. While the VIWHA attempts to explain away one incident of prod use on a bull, arguing that the prod use was necessary to prevent the bull from backing up into other animals, the footage shared shows multiple incidents of repeated electric prod use on animals, including:
Repeated electric prodding of a bull who is confined in a bucking chute any time the animal attempts to lay down
Repeated electric prodding of a bull in an alleyway, with no other animals around him and a closed gate behind him
Repeated electric prodding of a bull whose path is blocked by another animal who is backing up into him
Shockingly, rodeo organizers also characterize the kicking of a downed horse in the head (at 03:30 and 03:25 in the video below) as a handler using his cowboy boot to “nudge the horse on the back of its neck”.
Videos from the 2024 Bulls Broncs & Barrels in Coombs, British Columbia show a number of serious welfare concerns, including: – Improper use of electric prods – A horse falling and being kicked in the head – Rough handling and deliberate agitation of animals – Visible signs of stress Footage: Jordan Rivers We Animals Media
Concerning implications for animal welfare
The serious, recurring animal welfare issues seen throughout the event and the dismissive response by organizers have concerning implications. The message shows that inhumane handling is not an outlier, but is expected and accepted. This is not surprising – many rodeo events rely on the fear, stress, and discomfort of animals to “perform” – but it is deeply disappointing.
Rodeo events like this continue to cause animal suffering across British Columbia as the provincial government has put no meaningful plan in place to protect animals used in rodeo. Instead, the Ministry of Tourism funds the operation of many rodeo events, with more than $680,000 going toward events that include rodeos this year.
Can you call on the B.C. government to stop funding rodeos and to take urgent action to protect animals before next year’s rodeo season?
We Animals Media has released heart-wrenching footage from a recent rodeo in Coombs on Vancouver Island. Videos show the inhumane use of electric prods and handlers tying up and kicking a fallen horse while they hide him behind a tarp. The VHS has filed a cruelty complaint to the BC SPCA for treatment that appears to violate animal protection laws.
Complaint references video that shows repeated use of electric prod on a bull
“The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) has filed a cruelty complaint with the BC SPCA after footage they say reveals electric prod use and other welfare concerns during the recent Bulls, Broncs & Barrels rodeo event in Coombs.”
“The BC SPCA confirmed it received the complaint the morning of Sept. 3 and said it will look into the matter.”
“Vancouver Island Western Heritage Association runs the event and rents the venue from the Coombs Hilliers Recreation & Community Organization (CHRCO). The CHRCO said it will present a copy of the complaint filed to its board of directors for discussion at its next meeting.”
The Vancouver Humane Society has released video of alleged illegal electric prodding and a horse’s head being kicked.
“The Coombs Rodeo on Aug. 17 and 18 is now the subject of a BC SPCA investigation after video of alleged abuse was shared with the Vancouver Humane Society.”
“Two specific instances are being investigated: the use of an electric prod on a bull and a horse being kicked in the head after it collapsed.”
“The Vancouver Humane Society says another case of alleged abuse was witnessed at a rodeo in Clinton in May, and it is now calling on the provincial government to stop giving funding to rodeos.”
Team hopes findings will help improve equine welfare after showing cognitive abilities include being ‘goal-directed’
A new study has shown that horses plan ahead, think strategically, and have a higher level of cognitive reasoning than researchers previously believed.
Care for animal well-being should not be dependent upon an animal’s ability to reason. Jeremy Bentham once said, “The question is not, Can they reason?, nor Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?”
Still, researchers are hopeful that this study will have a positive impact on the well-being of horses.
Dr Carrie Ijichi, a researcher on the study and a senior lecturer in equine science at NTU, noted, “This teaches us that we shouldn’t make assumptions about animal intelligence or sentience based on whether they are ‘built’ just like us.”
The lead researcher on the study, Louise Evans, said, “Generally, when we start to think that animals may have better cognitive abilities than previously thought, their welfare does improve.” She also noted that the study shows horse training does not require aversive tools, which subject animals to pain, fear, and stress.
Michelle Gulyas of Hungary won gold in the women’s modern pentathlon with a world record points haul in event’s last final with horses
A win for horses! Show jumping will no longer be a part of the modern pentathlon at the Olympics, and will be replaced with an obstacle course.
Showjumping has long been a controversial part of the modern pentathlon due to animal welfare concerns.
The sport involves the use of aversive tools like whips, bits, and spurs to control horses’ movements. Random pairing between horses and riders and a lack of focus on horse well-being result in stress, fear, and pain for the animals.
Advocates note that riders and handlers have been seen directing frustrations at horses during competition. In 2021, a coach was seen punching a horse named Saint Boy with her fist and encouraging the rider to use greater force.
The removal of show jumping from the modern pentathlon marks a positive step away from the use of animals in entertainment.
Senior Man Sitting On Sofa At Home With Pet Labrador Dog
Read or watch the story on Global News: As animal shelters across the country are in crisis with an overflow of animals, animal organizations are pushing to end pet restrictions in rental housing.
“A recent parliamentary petition started by Humane Canada is asking the House of Commons to include a specific provision for tenants with pets in the new Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights that was proposed in the 2024 federal budget.”
Read more about how pet-friendly rental housing helps animals and the humans who love them, and sign the petition from the Parliament of Canada website!
The Calgary Zoo has had polar bears since 1938. Each generation has been confident that the bear’s enclosures were more humane than the past…
This is not the first time that concerns have been raised about the Calgary Zoo’s keeping of polar bears.
Earlier this year, Alberta Views published an article by George Colpitts, an environmental historian at the University of Calgary, outlining the fraught history of the zoo’s polar bear enclosures. The piece explores the pattern of poor welfare and incidents that have plagued the zoo’s polar bear enclosures since they opened in 1938.
Dr. Colpitts expressed skepticism that the new exhibit, opened in December 2023, could fully meet the bears’ needs.
Polar bears and other animals show signs of boredom and stress in zoos
The VHS sent a letter to the editor outlining inherent issues with keeping animals such as polar bears, who have complex social, behavioural, and physiological needs, in captivity for the entertainment of the public.
Read the full response on page 3 of the Alberta Views opinions section, and take action to protect animals from suffering in captivity.
The flank strap is tied around a bucking horse or bull’s sensitive hindquarters, creating pressure and discomfort that leads them to buck in an effort to remove the strap. Points are also awarded to the rider based on their use of spurs on the animal.
The Professional Bull Riders is holding an event in Kelowna on July 18
Animal Justice and the Vancouver Humane Society are raising concerns about a bull riding event scheduled for Prospera Place in Kelowna on July 18.
“The groups have alerted RCMP and the BC SPCA about potential violations of B.C.’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Canada’s Criminal Code during the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event.”
“‘If the event proceeds as planned on Thursday, bulls will be compelled to buck through the use of hard metal spurs and flank straps specifically designed to cause discomfort, combined with the unnatural sensation of a rider gripping tightly to their back in a loud, chaotic environment in front of thousands of spectators,’ reads a joint media release.”
