SPCA Cracks Down on Animal Cruelty
Have you been falsely accused of violating animal rights?
If so, we are concerned about your rights!
The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has become increasingly aggressive in recent years in investigating complaints of animal cruelty. A recent enactment amends the criminal code pertaining to animal cruelty and increases the maximum penalties should charges be brought.
Sections 444-447 of the Criminal Code state penalties for willfully poisoning, injuring, killing, maiming, or permitting unnecessary pain.
No human being with compassion likes to see animals put through pain and suffering. But the SPCA tends to overshoot the mark as they routinely invade the properties of good people who may have fallen behind in their care for their large herds, and provide them with notices that they must spend tens of thousands of dollars upgrading their property within the next few weeks or they will be charged with animal cruelty offences.
Every person committing these offences may be liable to imprisonment of 18 months to five years, or subject to a fine of up to $10,000.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act) allows enforcement of laws pertaining to animal welfare complaints, and Crown Counsel regularly prosecute those allegedly inflicting harm or suffering upon animals. If owners are accused of animal rights violations, a search and seizure of the animals may be ordered by a judge or justice of the peace, and valuable livestock or pets may be removed from rightful owners and confined or sold by the SPCA. The owners are then given a large bill by the SPCA for housing the animals for the short period of time before the sale. If owners are arrested and released on bail, they are prevented from returning to the home or business where the animals are kept. Unreasonable and negative publicity can result in serious economic hardship for a farm or other animal-related business.
Raising and housing farm animals is sometimes not well-understood by the public. In a practical sense, livestock owners and managers may be wrongfully charged for legitimate procedures, such as branding or de-horning. The elimination of pest animals such as rats or other vermin for health reasons on a farm may also be the subject of accusations.
The SPCA relies on many animal rights “enthusiasts” who often have nothing better to do than go cruising around the country side looking for horses or other animals that may be a little skinnier than they would like to see. Those people who own the slightly skinny animals are then the subject of routine and seemingly never ending “pop ins” by SPCA officers who will threaten the people with charges if expensive upgrades to the farm are not made immediately.
If you have been accused of SPCA-related charges, please contact Julian van der Walle immediately. He is an attorney with an excellent track record for challenging search warrants and over reaching animal-rights fanatics. Call today.
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