Library of Parliament Legislative Summary of Justice for Animals in Service Act

The Library of Parliament recently published a legislative summary of Bill C-35, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (law enforcement animals, military animals and service animals) (short title: Justice for Animals in Service Act):

"Bill C-35 creates a new offence, criminalizing the act of killing or injuring a law enforcement animal, military animal or service animal."

"Currently, an offence is committed under sections 444 and 445 of the Criminal Code (Code) when someone wilfully kills, maims, wounds, poisons or injures cattle or when someone kills, maims, wounds, poisons or injures a domestic animal wilfully and without lawful excuse. Section 429(2) of the Code provides a defence, stating, 'No person shall be convicted of an offence under sections 430 to 446 where he proves that he acted with legal justification or excuse and with colour of right'."

"There are also a number of provisions that address cruelty to animals, including section 445.1 of the Code, which establishes that it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal."

It is possible to follow the progress of the bill on the LEGISinfo website.