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Monday, May 14, 2007
Ottawa, May 11, 2007 – The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies is outraged that one of the men involved in the horrific dog torture case in Didsbury, Alberta, last fall, has been sentenced to only three months of house arrest followed by two years of probation, as well as some community service and other restrictions.The teen pleaded guilty to animal cruelty toward Daisy Duke, his best friend’s mother’s lab-border collie cross. He bound the dog, dragged it behind a truck, and hit it over the head with a shovel before abandoning it in an intersection. The dog’s devastating injuries left no choice but to be put down by a veterinarian. Another man, Daniel Charles Haskett, has pleaded not guilty in this case.
“This case is yet another horrific example of the need to update the animal cruelty section of the Criminal Code,” says Steve Carroll, CEO of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. “The current law was drafted 115 years ago! So much has changed in Canada during this time, including how Canadians view animal cruelty. We need a law that will better reflect this change. We need a law that will move us into the 21st century and in line with other progressive countries.”
In the weeks following Daisy Duke’s horrific death, a group of Alberta residents launched a national petition calling for the introduction of legislation that would provide effective amendments to the Criminal Code, and that could make a real difference in addressing animal cruelty in Canada (such legislation had previously been introduced in Parliament, but had died on the order paper when the last election was called.).
When the petition was tabled on February 20th, over 111,000 Canadians had signed their support for changes to the animal cruelty law.
There is now a private member’s bill – Bill C-373 – that has been introduced in the House of Commons by Ajax-Pickering MP Mark Holland. Bill C-373 addresses some of the biggest problems with the current animal cruelty laws. It provides increased penalties; clarifies the neglect offence (which currently contains loopholes that allow many serious cases to go unpunished); and, it offers the same protection from cruelty to strays and wildlife as it does to owned animals while effectively safeguarding heritage activities such as hunting, fishing, farming and trapping
A public opinion poll conducted by SES Research last fall showed that 85% of Canadians would support changes that would make it easier to convict cases of cruelty toward strays and wildlife – animals which currently receive little protection under the Criminal Code.
Despite this overwhelming support, Canada’s New Government is ignoring millions of caring Canadian voters by failing to address animal cruelty as a serious form of crime in this country.
“Such strong support from Canadians – individuals who live coast to coast, who live in rural and urban areas, and even individuals who say they hunt and fish – shows our country’s appetite for a real update to our animal cruelty laws,” says Mr. Carroll. “Voters have sent a clear message to government on this issue.”
About the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies– 30 –
For more information, please contact:
Tanya O’Callaghan
Communications Director
Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
Tel: 613-224-8072 ext. 12
