Report Cruelty
Windsor-Essex County Humane Society
Affiliated with
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Report of alleged abuse or neglect of animals in Windsor or Essex County
You may make an anonymous complaint, however if we are unable to locate the situation concerning you and cannot contact you, your complaint will not be addressed.
Or you can notify the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society directly at 519-966-5751.
Your complaint is completely confidential and will be treated as anonymous in most cases.
As Affiliate Members of the OSPCA, we are obligated to treat each complaint as serious. As Investigators, we are legally required to issue specific notices and give the owner of the animal an opportunity to rectify the situation. As Agents of the OSPCA, we have the authority to Order the owner of the animal to provide Veterinary Care, and if it is not provided within a reasonable time frame, to remove the animal and provide the required veterinary care at the owner's expense.
The current legislation is problematic in that it is either restrictive or weak when it comes to prosecuting animal cruelty complaints. Under the current system, our Agents are empowered to alleviate distress of animals, however, it is also vital that we protect the owner's legal rights during any investigation.
All persons are assumed innocent until proven guilty of commiting a crime. That crime must be proven in a court of law and is based on concrete evidence gathered during the investigation. Taking matters into your own hands is often illegal and may prejudice our ability to rectify the situation. The evidence required to take legal action may longer available or the owner's rights have been ignored and the investigation cannot be continued. The Windsor/Essex County Humane Society strongly condemns independent and unauthorized action.
Anyone who becomes aware of Animal Cruelty, Abuse or Neglect is asked to notify the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society at 519-966-5751 or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
LAWS GOVERNING OSPCA
Under the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
Definitions
1.0 In this Act, "distress" means the state of being in need of proper care, water, food or shelter or being injured, sick or in pain or suffering or being abused or subject to undue or unnecessary hardship, deprivation or neglect; ("detresse").
Object
3.0 The object of the Society is to facilitate and provide for the prevention of cruelty to animals and their protection and relief therefrom.
Inspectors and Agents to Have Power of Police Officer
11.0 (1) For the purpose of the enforcement of this or any other act or law in force in Ontario pertaining to the welfare of or prevention of cruelty to animals, every inspector and agent of the Society has and may exercise any of the powers of a police officer.
Inspectors and Agents of Affiliates
11.0 (2) Every inspector and agent of an affiliated society who has been approved by the Society may exercise any of the powers of an inspector or agent of the Society under this Act.
Standards of Care
11.1 (1) Every person who owns or has custody or care of an animal shall comply with the prescribed standards of care wtih respect to every animal that the person owns or has custody or care of. 2008, c. 16, s. 8.
PROHIBITIONS RE DISTRESS, HARM TO AN ANIMAL
Causing Distress
11.2 (1) No person shall cause an animal to be in distress. 2008, c. 16, s. 8.
Permitting Distress
11.2 (2) No owner or custodian of an animal shall permit the animal to be in distress. 2008, c. 16, s. 8.
Training, Permitting Animals to Fight
11.2 (3) No person shall train an animal to fight with another animal or permit an animal that the person owns or has custody or care of to fight another animal. 2008, c. 16, s. 8.
Owning Animal Fighting Equipment, Structures
11.2 (4) No person shall own or have possession of equipment or structures that are used in animal fights or in training animals to fight. 2008, c. 16, s. 8.
Harming Law Enforcement Animals
11.2 (5) No person shall harm or cause harm to a dog, horse or other animal that works with peace officers in the execution of their duties, whether or not the animal is working at the time of the harm. 2008, c. 16, s. 8.
Veterinarians' Obligation to Report
11.3 Every veterinarian who has reasonable grounds to believe that an animal has been or is being abused or neglected shall report his or her belief to an inspector or an agent of the Society. 200, c. 16, s. 8.
Inspection - Placed Used for Animal Exhibit, Entertainment, Boarding, Hire or Sale
11.4 (1) An inspector or an agent of the Society may, without a warrant, enter and inspect any building or place used for animal exhibit, entertainment, boarding, hire or sale, either alone or accompanied by one or more veterinarians or other persons as he or she considers advisable, in order to determine whether the standards of care prescribed for the purpose of Section 11.1 are being complied with. 200, c. 16, s. 8.
Under the Criminal Code of Canada
If the Ontario SPCA, or the police, initiates a charge against someone, it does so in the name of the Crown and all evidence is presented to a Crown Attorney for prosecution.
Other sections of the Criminal Code of Canada, dealing with cruelty to animals are s.444, s.445, s.446, s.447.
Click on the logo below to link to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' web site:
