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Proposed changes to Alberta’s animal protection laws leave “sport” animals vulnerable 

Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

Cover image: Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

  • Alberta is proposing its first major update to animal protection laws in more than 20 years.  
  • The changes signal a growing recognition that stronger protections are needed to prevent animal suffering and hold offenders accountable. 
  • While some proposed changes in the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22) include meaningful improvements to be celebrated, animals used in sporting events, such as rodeos, are left vulnerable. 

Alberta residents: Learn more below, then email your MLA and Alberta Minister of Agriculture, Minister RJ Sigurdson (AGRIC.Minister@gov.ab.ca), to express your concern and seek stronger protections for animals used in sporting activities.

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Tips for your email

Current laws & proposed changes

Under the existing Animal Protection Act in Alberta, which has had no major updates in more than 20 years, it is illegal to cause an animal to be in distress, with exemptions for some animal use industries. 

Now, Alberta is proposing a major update. This signals important progress—but one of the proposed changes would allow distress resulting from the use of animals in a sporting activity that is carried out in accordance with “reasonable and generally accepted practices”, expanding the types of industries exempted. 

This concerning change could allow sporting industries that use animals to effectively make their own rules and allow harmful practices that cause significant suffering, such as in rodeo events. 

This change may also make it harder to hold people accountable or enforce rules while setting a risky example that other jurisdictions might follow. Removing the proposed exemption for allowing distress in sporting activities is a critical step toward ensuring animals are protected. 

If you are a resident of Alberta, or have friends and family who are residents, share this information and contact your MLA and the Minister of Agriculture, who is sponsoring the Bill, to request changes to better protect animals. The legislation is moving quickly! Don’t hesitate to speak up for animals. 

A persistent loophole

Vague language, like “reasonable and generally accepted practices” often allows industries to set their own standards when no external standards exist, even when those practices may cause harm. It may also limit enforcement action when there are no clear guidelines on what a generally accepted practice is.  

Animals used in sporting activities should not be subjected to distress or cruel practices for entertainment. Closing this loophole by removing the exemption for causing distress in sporting activities is a critical step toward ensuring animals are protected.  

Limited public input

While the province consulted with a range of stakeholders, including industry representatives and enforcement agencies, there was no formal public comment period for the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22). This has left many concerned individuals in a rush to contact their MLAs to request amendments before the bill progresses further. 

The legislation is still in early stages, and there remains an opportunity to strengthen protections for animals. However, the timeline for public input is unclear, and the process appears to be moving quickly. 

Don’t hesitate! Contact your MLA and Minister Sigurdson and express your concerns before the legislation progresses and amendments can no longer be made.  

Find my MLA
Email Minister Sigurdson

Tips for requesting amendments by email

To request amendments to the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22), consider: 

  • Raising concern about vague exemptions like “reasonable and generally accepted practices” that can result in significant animal suffering.
  • Requesting the removal of the proposed distress exemptions for animals used in sporting activities. 
  • Calling for clear, enforceable protections that address the risks associated with rodeo and other animal-based sporting activities. 
    • For example, prohibiting the most dangerous and inhumane rodeo events, handling practices, and tools that cause animal suffering.

As the bill moves forward, decision-makers have an opportunity to build on these improvements and deliver legislation that fully reflects the public’s expectation for strong, enforceable animal protection laws. 

By contacting your MLA or encouraging friends or family who are Alberta residents to do so, you are taking direct action to strengthen protections for animals.  

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Have your say: Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines

Animals close-up photography. Horse Consultation. Four horses assembled your heads together.

Update

The public feedback period for the Equine Code of Practice is now closed. Thank you to everyone who spoke up for animals. Please go to this page for current campaigns.

  • In 2024, we asked for your help in completing a national survey that gathered top equine welfare concerns. Your voice was heard, and responses from this survey were used to create a draft Equine Code of Practice.  
  • The public comment period for the National Farm Animal Care Council’s (NFACC) Equine Code of Practice is now open until March 12, 2026  
  • The Equine Code of Practice provides a guideline for the on-farm care and handling of horses and donkeys raised in Canada.  
  • While this draft provides many much-needed updates to the Equine Code of Practice, there are still changes to be made to improve equine welfare. 
  • Note that the code does not include transport, such as the live export of horses for slaughter; it only includes on-farm practices and deciding if individual horses are fit for transport. 

TAKE ACTION: Join us in providing feedback on the draft code on the issues that are important to you; everyone can participate! 

Top welfare priorities
Tips for submitting
Submit your feedback 

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Top Welfare Priorities

We encourage you to read through the draft Equine Code of Practice and provide feedback on the issues that matter most to you if possible.

However, we have prepared the VHS’s top welfare priorities with section headers and tips for submitting your feedback if you are short on time and would like guidance. REMINDER: do not copy and paste the text below, as duplicate submissions will be ignored by NFACC.

Section 2: Facilities and Housing
Section 2.3.1 – Indoor space allowance

Comment on Requirements:

Tie-stalls should be banned, which keep animals tethered in one place and prevent them from moving freely, socializing, or behaving naturally, often leading to physical and mental health problems. (Popescu et al., 2019; Yngvesson et al., 2019).

Section 6: Loose Horse Management
Section 6.5.1 – Stocking density

Comment on Requirements

Currently, there are no requirements about how much space horses need or shelter access in feedlots or other similar environments. Clear minimum standards should be set, based on research, to give horses enough room, reduce stress, fighting, and injuries, and protect them from harsh weather.

Section 7: Husbandry
Section 7.1 – Turnout, social opportunities, and enrichment 

Comment on Requirements

Currently, there are no minimum requirements for turnout (giving equines free access to pasture or paddock), social opportunities, and enrichment in the draft code.

Turnout and enrichment allow horses to express natural behaviours and provide mental stimulation, including grazing, freedom of movement and social interaction.

Minimum requirements should include: 

Turnout: Horses should be allowed outside for at least 12 hours each day (Bell et al., 2001). They need enough space to move freely at their own pace and to get away from other horses if there is aggression.

Enrichment: Horses should have regular contact with other compatible horses, a variety of toys and feeding options, and opportunities to do natural things like rolling in pasture or using scent and scratching stations.

Section 7.2 – General behaviour and handling of horses

Comment on Recommended Best Practices

Horses are easily frightened and may react by bolting or becoming aggressive. To keep both people and horses safe, it should be a requirement to avoid loud noises, sudden movements, or other actions that could scare them.

Section 7.3 – Methods of identification

Comment on Requirements

Hot and freeze branding are painful and stressful for horses and can have lasting effects on their behaviour. Since there are safer ways to identify horses, like microchipping, branding should no longer be allowed. Instead, clear visual identification methods, such as coat markings, hair patterns, colour differences, scars, or properly fitted leg bands, should be used.

Section 8: Exercise & Training
Section 8.2 – Guidelines for training horses

Comment on Recommended Best Practices

It should be required to use the First Training Principles when training and handling horses (refer to Appendix L – Handling Horses and How Horses Learn).

Equestrians often use training methods that compromise equine welfare to achieve competition-related goals. Training horses should never harm their well-being and should match what they are physically and mentally able to do.

Using proven, humane training methods helps keep both horses and trainers safe and reduces problem behaviours.

Section 9: Reproductive Management
Section 9.5.4 – Weaning

Comment on Recommended Best Practices

It should be a requirement that foals are not weaned before 6 months of age, and when possible, weaning should wait until after 9 months. Gradual weaning helps reduce stress and supports healthy growth and development in young horses (Henry et al., 2020).

Section 10: Transport
Section 10.1 – Fitness for transport

Comment on Requirements

People who assess an animal’s suitability for transport should receive proper training, and their assessments should be recorded and documented so there are clear, reliable records.

Section 10.4 – Loading and unloading

Comment on Recommended Best Practices

Recommendations (a.), (b.), (c.), (d.), (e.) should be requirements given the high stress of loading and unloading for equines.

Section 10.4.2 – Post-transport management

Comment on Recommended Best Practices:

Horses may hide signs of pain when people are watching (Torcivia & McDonnell, 2020), so recently transported horses should be closely monitored for dehydration, injuries, colic, fever, or breathing problems, especially after long trips or when horses from different places have been mixed.

Comment on Recommended Best Practices:

There should be a recommended practice of video monitoring recently transported horses.

Section 11: Change or End of Career
Section 11.1 – Change or end of career

Comment on Requirements:

Every equine industry should have a transition plan for what happens to horses at the end of their working careers, and having this plan should be required for operation.

Section 12: Euthanasia
Section 12.2 – Methods of euthanasia

Comment on Requirements:

Euthanasia must be carried out in a way that causes no pain or fear, and horses must be made unconscious immediately.

Submit your feedback now!

Tips for submitting

To make your submission impactful, and to ensure that it is reviewed by NFACC, consider these tips before submitting your feedback:  

  • IMPORTANT: Do not copy and paste wording, as duplicate responses and/or profanity or derogatory language will not be considered by NFACC. 
  • Keep responses relevant to the draft code. Issues involving transportation, such as live horse export, will not be considered by NFACC.  
  • Provide references and examples whenever possible. 
  • Reference exact wording in the draft code that you would like to see changed and how you would like it changed  
  • Make it personal, the committee members are interested in how this code impacts you  
  • Consider looking through the submission form for formatting style before you begin drafting your feedback 
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak up for equids in Canada.
Submit your feedback now!
References

Bell R.A., Nielsen B.D., Waite K., Rosenstein D. & Orth M. (2001) Daily access to pasture turnout prevents loss of mineral in the third metacarpus of Arabian weanlings. Journal of Animal Science 79:142-1150.  

Henry, S., Sigurjónsdóttir, H., Klapper, A., Joubert, J., Montier, G., & Hausberger, M. (2020). Domestic foal weaning: Need for re-thinking breeding practices? Animals 10(2): 361. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020361  

Popescu, S., Lazar, E. A., Borda, C., Niculae, M., Sandru, C. D., & Spinu, M. (2019). Welfare quality of breeding horses under different housing conditions. Animals 9(3): 81. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9030081  

Torcivia, C., & McDonnell, S. (2020). In-Person Caretaker Visits Disrupt Ongoing Discomfort Behavior in Hospitalized Equine Orthopedic Surgical Patients. Animals 10(2): 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020210  

Yngvesson, J., Rey Torres, J. C., Lindholm, J., Pättiniemi, A., Andersson, P., & Sassner, H. (2019). Health and body conditions of riding school horses housed in groups or kept in conventional tie-Stall/Box housing. Animals 9(3): 73. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9030073 

Stay Informed. Help Animals.

Learn about farmed animal welfare in Canada and what you can do to help! Sign up now to get clear explanations, action alerts, and practical steps you can take when it matters most.  Click here to learn more.

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Protect ducks and geese from force-feeding for foie gras (Federal e-petition)

A gosling in the grass

Update

This petition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who signed and spoke up for animals. Please go to this page for current campaigns.

  • The Vancouver Humane Society is joining the Canadian Coalition for Farmed Animals and advocates across Canada in calling for a ban on force-feeding ducks and geese for foie gras production.
  • Foie gras is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers swell up to ten times their normal size, causing a painful condition known as hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver syndrome).
  • Many other nations have banned the production and/or import of foie gras due to the severe animal welfare concerns, including the UK, Argentina, Australia, and India.

TAKE ACTION: Canadian residents can sign the official parliamentary e-petition until January 2, 2026. After you sign, be sure to click the link in the confirmation email so your signature is counted.

View updates

End foie gras production, import, and sale in Canada

Join the Vancouver Humane Society, the Canadian Coalition for Farmed Animals, MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, and advocates across Canada in calling to protect ducks and geese from inhumane force-feeding for foie gras.

The petition calls on Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to:

  • Ban the practice of force-feeding ducks and geese for the production of foie gras;
  • Ban the importation and sale of foie gras produced by such force-feeding;
  • Provide financial assistance and guidance to producers for transitioning to plant-based agriculture.

Sign the federal e-petition on the Parliament of Canada website before January 2, 2026, at 10:28 a.m. PT. 

Important: After you sign the petition, be sure to check your email and click the confirmation link to ensure your signature is counted.  

View updates (Petition closed)

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Help push Canada toward a future without animal testing 

Roger Kingbird / We Animals.

Image credit: Jo-Anne McArthur We Animals Media

Update

This petition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who signed and spoke up for animals. Please go to this page for current campaigns.

  • Each year in Canada, 3 to 5 million animals, like beagles, rabbits and mice, are used in scientific research and toxicity testing, as reported by the Canadian Council on Animal Care.  
  • In 2024, nearly 100,000 animals were subjected to procedures causing severe pain or distress.  
  • There is growing evidence to suggest that animal studies fail to reliably predict human outcomes. 
  • Despite the urgent need for better, more human-relevant science, Canada’s progress has been slow.
  • Last year, the Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods (CCAAM), one of the country’s leading programs for alternatives to animal-use, closed due to a lack of funding.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the new official federal e-petition calling on Canada to do better. Tell the federal government that transitioning to animal-free research and testing is important to you!

When you sign an official federal e-petition, you’ll get an email asking you to confirm your signature. Your signature doesn’t count until you click that confirmation link.

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Photographs of animal use manuals from the Coulston Foundation, a former animal testing laboratory.
Jo-Anne McArthur We Animals Media
New Zealand white rabbits in a testing lab
Roger Kingbird / We Animals
Jo-Anne McArthur / Animal Equality / We Animals

Image credit: Jo-Anne McArthur + Media Roger Kingbird / We Animals.

Why change is needed

Despite Canada committing to reduce animal testing for chemical safety in 2022, and a 2025 federal strategy under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to replace, reduce, or refine the use of vertebrate animals in toxicity testing, the strategy does not include targets, timelines or dedicated funding.  

Federal e-petition 6841 asks for:

  • A coordinated national effort to transition away from animal models;  
  • Measurable targets to reduce animal use in research and regulatory testing (50% reduction by 2030, full replacement where feasible by 2035); 
  • Sustainable federal funding to establish a national centre to lead the transition to animal-free research and testing; 
  • A mandate to prioritize non-animal methods, with replacement as the default; 
  • Federally recognize non-animal methods as the standard by amending federal laws and regulations; 
  • Establish mandatory public reporting on non-animal method adoption rates, federal funding, and animal use in public and private sectors. 

Public support for humane science

Canada is falling behind countries like the United States and those in the European Union, which have developed strategies and investments in new methods that do not use animals. Canadians overwhelmingly agree that it’s time for Canada to catch up.  

  • 83% of Canadians believe that whenever modern scientific alternatives are available, they should be used instead of subjecting animals to painful experiments;1 
  • On average, Canadians rate the importance of considering animal welfare in research decisions at an 8 out of 10, reflecting strong public concern for the treatment of animals used in science;2  
  • When asked how important it is to find effective alternatives to the use of animals in science and medicine, Canadians gave an average score of 7.7 out of 10.2  

Sign the official federal government petition: 

Join fellow Canadians in calling for a transition to animal-free research and testing! 

View updates (petition closed)

1 According to a Léger Marketing survey conducted for the Montreal SPCA from September 19 to 21, 2025, among 1,521 Canadians.

2 Nanos Research. Public Opinion Survey on the Use of Animals in Canadian Science (October 2024), conducted for the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). https://ccac.ca/Documents/About/CCAC_NANOS_EN-02-2025.pdf

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UPDATE: UBCM Executive to vote on mobile live animal programs & exotic pet regulations

Success!

After 2,450 messages were sent to speak up for exotic animals and mobile live animal programs, the UBCM Executive voted to endorse resolution NR75! Please see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help exotic animals, including asking the B.C. government to act on the UBCM’s call for change.

  • In September, the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), which represents local governments across B.C., held its annual convention.
  • A resolution brought forward called on the B.C. government to regulate mobile live animal programs – such as mobile petting zoos and exotic pet expos – and strengthen rules for keeping exotic (non-native, non-domesticated) species.
  • More than 1,000 B.C. residents wrote to their local governments, urging them to support resolution NR75 — Mobile Live Animal Programs.
  • UBCM members ran out of time to vote on resolution NR75 during the convention.
  • The resolution will now be considered by the UBCM Executive at their quarterly meeting on November 12-14.

TAKE ACTION: Add your name to the VHS’s campaign urging the UBCM President & Executive to support protections for animals used in mobile live animal programs and to call for stronger provincial safeguards for exotic animals kept, sold, bred, or traded as pets.

Tell UBCM Executive to vote YES to NR75
Learn More

This action has now ended.

2,450 messages were sent using the quick action tool to support UBCM resolution NR75. Thank you for taking action.

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Exotic animals are wild animals from other countries often imported to Canada through the exotic pet trade. These animals are not domesticated, even if bred in captivity, and their welfare can suffer when sold, bred, transported, or displayed. The exotic pet trade also poses risks to the environment and public health and safety.  

Animal welfare issues

Mobile live animal programs (MLAPs) can take many forms, including travelling petting zoos, presentations, and expos where animals can be purchased. They involve the transport of animals to a location for display, public entertainment, or sale to the public, and feature a variety of different animals.

MLAPs often include exotic animals—wild animals from other countries imported to Canada—such as spiders, snakes, lizards, and tortoises.    

Animals involved in MLAPs face many animal welfare risks, including:

  • Travel to and from events
  • The public handling of animals
  • Unregulated housing and breeding practices outside of events where they may face restricted movement due to lack of space
  • Limited behavioural opportunities
  • Abnormal social groupings, such as highly social animals being housed alone
  • Exposure to unnatural environmental conditions (lighting, temperature, substrate, sounds, odours)

Environmental risks

The accidental or intentional release of exotic pets (e.g. when pets are no longer wanted but a new home cannot be found for them) can introduce invasive species to our ecosystems. Some invasive species who have impacted our local ecosystems include the red-eared slider turtle, goldfish, and American bullfrog.  

Invasive species can threaten native wildlife, compromise habitats, and spread new diseases.   

Public health & safety concerns

While the risk of disease transmission is always present when interacting with exotic animals, MLAPs increase risk due to:

  • The number of animals and variety of species
  • High amount of close human contact
  • Difficulties in following hygiene protocols (if present)

These risks are particularly prevalent at events marketed to children.

The transportation and frequent handling of animals at these events presents a significant risk factor for stress, and stressed animals may also be more likely to bite or scratch, compounding risks of disease transmission and physical harm. 

Community impacts

Escaped or released animals and the surrender of unwanted exotic pets stress already overwhelmed shelters, rescues, and veterinary services, which may not have the resources and expertise to accommodate such a wide range of exotic species.

There have been many documented instances of escaped or released exotic pets in B.C. in recent years.

Outdated regulations leave exotic animals at risk

Currently, there are no provincial regulations in place that are specific to MLAPs and there is a lack of consistent and enforceable standards for keeping, breeding, displaying, and selling exotic pets.  

B.C.’s Controlled Alien Species Regulation (CASR), introduced in 2009, has banned ownership of more than 1,000 dangerous species like tigers and venomous snakes that pose a threat to people, property, and wildlife.

However, the CASR does not address animal welfare or disease risks, making many exotic species that suffer in captivity or can spread zoonotic diseases still legal to own and trade. 

UBCM resolution NR75 – Mobile Live Animal Programs calls on the B.C. government to:

  • Regulate mobile live animal programs to address animal welfare concerns and public health and safety risks; 
  • Update the Controlled Alien Species Regulation to equally prioritize animal welfare considerations alongside public safety, and prohibit the import, keeping, breeding and transport of all exotic species. 

TAKE ACTION: Sign the letter to show your support for this resolution!

ADD YOUR VOICE
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Take action for animals at Marineland!

Beluga swimming underwater

Update

In January 2026, the Canadian government granted conditional approval for Marineland to export their remaining belugas to the United States. Read more details or see the VHS’s Current Campaigns page for other ways to support animals.

Humane Canada, of which the VHS is a member organization, needs our help to speak up for animals in captivity at Marineland! 

  • In 2019, Canada banned the keeping of whales, dolphins and porpoises for breeding or entertainment in Canada through the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act. 
  • Since this important federal law was passed in 2019, more than 20 animals have died at Marineland.  
  • Earlier this year, Marineland requested a permit from the federal government to export their 30 remaining beluga whales to the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom aquarium in China where they would endure stressful and dangerous transport and a continued life in captivity for public entertainment. 
  • Marineland’s request was denied, and now they are threatening to euthanize the 30 remaining belugas in their care if financial support is not received from the federal government.  

Join Humane Canada and animal allies across Canada to call on the Ontario government to step up for animal welfare and assist in finding alternative solutions! 

Share your voice for marine mammals in captivity (Humane Canada action)

Learn more

What are Humane Canada and other animal organizations asking for?

Humane Canada and other organizations, including the Vancouver Humane Society, are deeply concerned about the ongoing welfare of animals at Marineland in Niagara Falls. While we applaud the federal government’s decision to decline a permit for Marineland to export their beluga whales to China, and the passing of the Ending Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act in 2019, action must be taken by the Ontario government to protect the animals at Marineland. 

Humane Canada and other expert partners including the Whale Sanctuary project and World Animal Protection have repeatedly offered to assist in finding humane outcomes for these animals. Recent deaths of marine mammals and threats of euthanasia from Marineland demonstrate the urgent need for action. 

Humane Canada and compassionate allies are asking for the Government of Ontario to:

  • Direct Ontario’s Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) to step in right away to seize the animals in situ and ensure their welfare and safety, which is at immediate risk. Marineland has stated that the whales will be euthanized if the federal government fails to approve the export permits;
  • Convene a group of independent marine mammal experts to assess the whales’ current condition and work to improve care standards on-site;  
  • Determine the next steps for these whales based on expert advice and in accordance with the whales’ well-being and best interests.   
Don’t delay — add your name to Humane Canada’s letter writing campaign to Ontario Premier Doug Ford!

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Support a ban on exotic cats & stronger exotic pet rules in B.C. 

Jo-Anne McArthur / Born Free Foundation / We Animals

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / Born Free Foundation / We Animals

Update

This action has ended. Thank you to everyone who sent a message to provincial decision-makers and spoke up for animals. Please stay tuned for updates and go to this page for current campaigns.

  • The B.C. government is proposing new regulations to ban the breeding, sale, and future ownership of all exotic cat species (non-native, wild cats).
  • Public feedback on the ban is being accepted until September 30, 2025. 
  • While species like lions and tigers are already prohibited, others—such as servals, caracals, leopard cats, and ocelots—are still legal to keep as pets.
  • These wild animals have complex physical and behavioural needs that are nearly impossible to meet in captivity, leading to poor welfare. 
  • While the proposed exotic cat ban is a strong first step, the VHS is calling on the B.C. government to extend the same protections to other exotic species that also suffer in captivity. 

TAKE ACTION: Use the quick action tool below to support the proposed ban and urge the B.C. government to adopt regulations that allow only species proven suitable as pets based on scientific welfare, health, and environmental criteria.

Send a quick message
Learn more

Use the editable template below to send a message to the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, or send a message directly to controlledalienspecies@gov.bc.ca.

This action has now ended.

854 people used this tool to support stronger regulations for animals used in mobile live animal programs and exotic animals kept as pets. Thank you for taking action.

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The B.C. government’s proposed ban 

In July 2025, B.C.’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship announced proposed regulation changes that would ban the breeding, sale and future ownership of all exotic (non-native and non-domestic) cat species. This would include species such as servals, caracals, ocelots, European and African wildcats, Asian golden cats, fishing cats, jungle cats and marbled cats. 

The B.C. government cited welfare, public safety and environmental concerns as motivating factors for the proposed ban.  

Exotic cats in human care have the same natural behaviours and instincts they would in the wild, including the desire to roam, climb and hunt. They suffer compromised health and welfare when owners cannot meet their needs in captivity, and escaped exotic cats pose a threat to the public and other animals. 

What would an exotic cat ban mean?

If approved, all exotic cat species would be added to the list of 1000+ exotic species already prohibited under the “Controlled Alien Species Regulations”. 

The proposed ban would allow current owners to keep their exotic cats for the remainder of the animal’s life, provided they apply for a free permit and meet basic care and safety requirements. However, breeding, selling or acquiring new exotic cat species would no longer be permitted.

The Vancouver Humane Society recommends stronger regulations 

The VHS supports the proposed exotic cat ban and is urging the B.C. government to extend the scope of the ban to consider all exotic species that do not thrive in human care, utilizing a positive list framework that allows only species proven suitable as pets based on welfare, health, and environmental criteria.

Similar to exotic cats, many other exotic species have complex needs and suffer compromised health and welfare when kept as pets; pose a risk to public health and safety; and can threaten native wildlife and habitat when released or escaped.  

The current Controlled Alien Species Regulations (CASR) are based on a lengthy and reactive “negative listing” approach, which lists 1000+ restricted and prohibited species. The current regulations also do not include animal welfare or disease risk as considerations for which animals are prohibited.  

The VHS recommends that the CASR be updated to utilize an evidence-based “positive list” framework. Positive lists are shorter and easier to understand, update and enforce. This framework would outline species allowed to be kept as pets and would be based on welfare, health, safety, and environmental criteria. 

Want to learn more?

Read the VHS’s full submission to the B.C. government (opens as a PDF).

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Tell your local leaders: Support stronger exotic pet & mobile animal program rules

Reptiles in small containers at an exotic pet expo

Update

This action has ended. Thank you to everyone who sent a message to their local decision-makers and spoke up for animals. Please stay tuned for updates and go to this page for current campaigns.

  • B.C. residents: Please call on your local government to endorse a resolution seeking stronger protections for exotic animals and animals used in mobile programs.
  • The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), which serves as the voice for local governments across B.C., will be meeting for their annual convention Sept 22-26 in Victoria.
  • UBCM members will consider a resolution calling on the B.C. government to regulate mobile live animal programs (MLAPs) and update regulations relating to exotic (non-native, undomesticated) species.
  • The UBCM resolution (pg. 173 of Resolutions Book) was put forward by Port Moody Council following a Port Moody decision earlier this year to prohibit MLAPs, such as mobile petting zoos.
  • Port Moody’s decision was a result of animal welfare, environmental, public health and safety, and educational concerns associated with MLAPs. 

TAKE ACTION: Use the quick message tool below to urge your local government to endorse the UBCM resolution seeking stronger protections for animals transported for public display, handling, or sale and for updated regulations related to the import, keeping, breeding, and transport of all exotic species.

Send a quick message
Learn more

The resolution seeks to:

  1. Regulate mobile live animal programs (MLAPs), which can “create distress for animals and introduce risks of zoonotic disease transmission and injury for people and other animals” as they transport animals for public display, handling, or sale.
  2. Update the Province’s Controlled Alien Species Regulations to equally prioritize animal welfare considerations alongside public safety, and prohibit the import, keeping, breeding and transport of exotic species.

Use the template message to ask your local leaders to back the UBCM resolution.

This action has now ended.

1,327 people used this tool to support stronger regulations for animals used in mobile live animal programs and exotic animals kept as pets. Thank you for taking action.

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What are mobile live animal programs? 

Mobile live animal programs (MLAPs) can take many forms, including travelling petting zoos, presentations, and expos. They involve the transport of animals to a location for display, public entertainment, or sale to the public, and feature a variety of different animals. MLAPs often include exotic animals (wild animals not native to B.C.), such as spiders, snakes, lizards, and tortoises.  

Concerns regarding MLAPs include: 

  • Frequent, and at times long-distance, transport of animals to events; 
  • Small, barren enclosures with little to no opportunity for natural behaviours or the ability to escape the view of the public and other animals; 
  • Frequent public handling, increasing risk of injury and disease spread; 
  • Lack of educational value and the risk of perpetuating misconceptions about animal care and needs. 

What are the issues with keeping exotic animals as pets? 

  • Animal welfare: Exotic animals (wild animals not native to B.C.), even if they are born in captivity, still have the same complex needs they would in the wild. It’s extremely difficult to recreate their natural environment in captivity, and when those needs aren’t met, the animals often suffer. 
  • Public health & safety concerns: Approximately 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can spread from animals to humans. In the last decade, there have been seven documented disease outbreaks in B.C. linked to the exotic pet trade, four of which occurred in 2023 and 2024 and were associated with snakes, lizards, and geckos. 
  • Ecological threats: Escaped or released pets can become invasive species, displacing native wildlife, threatening habitats, and spreading new diseases. 
  • Community impacts: Escaped or released animals and the surrender of unwanted exotic pets strain already overwhelmed shelters, rescues, and veterinary services. There have been many documented instances of escaped/released exotic pets in B.C. in recent years. 
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News/Blog

Petition: End horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse 

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The end of horse racing at Hastings was announced in December 2025 following decling public support and revenues. Please support a safe retirement for horses and see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help animals.

  • The City of Surrey recently announced the permanent closure of the Fraser Downs horse racetrack, citing plans to develop housing, a hospital, and new public spaces on the land. 
  • The decision aligns with the VHS’s call for an end to horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, where at least 14 horses have died since 2023. 
  • A recent VHS report shared with the City of Vancouver in June outlines the high racing-related fatality rate and the long-term decline in attendance and revenue at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse.
  • The report recommends ending horse racing at Hastings Park when the current Operating Agreement expires in 2026. 

SIGN THE PETITION: Urge the City of Vancouver to follow Surrey’s lead and end horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse.  

Sign the petition
Read the report
Welfare concerns

Sign the petition and the VHS will share your call for change with Vancouver City Council.

This action has now ended.

1,567 people signed the petition to support an end to horse racing at Hastings Racecourse! Thank you for taking action.

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Report: Considerations for the discontinuation of horse racing at Hastings Park

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The hidden cost of horse racing at Hastings

Deaths at Vancouver racecourse

Hastings Racecourse has seen a concerning pattern of horse deaths, including eight in 2023, four in 2024, and at least two between April and June 2025. In 2024, the rate of horse deaths at Hastings was 1.78 per 1,000 starts—much higher than the industry average of 1.11 and nearly double that of tracks under stricter safety rules (0.90).

Early start, lifelong harm

Most horses start training and/or racing at just 2 years old, before their bones are fully developed. This puts them at high risk for serious injuries and early decline. Thoroughbred horses are often overbred for speed rather than skeletal strength, making their legs susceptible to fatal injury. 

Painful & stressful practices

Horses often endure harsh training methods and uncomfortable equipment, like whips and tight mouth bits, that can cause stress and pain.

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News/Blog

Include animals in emergency planning (Federal e-petition)

A forest fire from above

Update

This action has ended. Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and spoke up for animals. Please stay tuned for updates and go to this page for current campaigns.

  • The Vancouver Humane Society is joining Humane Canada and advocates across Canada in calling for companion animals to be included in emergency planning.
  • More than 60% of Canadian households include a dog or cat, yet there is a lack of pet-inclusive support and accommodations for people evacuating during emergencies such as wildfires.
  • The lack of resources and limited training on animal response adds to confusion and panic in times of emergency, and can lead to people delaying or avoiding seeking safety, risk of death for animals, and added dangers for first responders.
  • A new federal e-petition launched by Humane Canada calls on the Canadian government to include animals in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

TAKE ACTION: Canadian residents can sign the official parliamentary e-petition until October 9, 2025. After you sign, be sure to click the link in the confirmation email so your signature is counted.

You can also use the quick action tool from Humane Canada to send an email to federal decision-makers calling for change.

Email decision-makers (Humane Canada action)

Ensure no animal is left behind in emergencies

Join the Vancouver Humane Society, Humane Canada, MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, and advocates across Canada in calling to protect animals and teh people who care for them during emergencies.

Sign the federal e-petition on the Parliament of Canada website before October 9, 2025, at 9:06 a.m. PST. 

Important: After you sign the petition, be sure to check your email and click the confirmation link to ensure your signature is counted.  

Update: This petition is now closed. You can still take the quick action from Humane Canada to contact your federal decision-makers in support of change, or check the House of Commons website for updates.

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Email decision-makers (Humane Canada)