Animal welfare

In addition to the provincial Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act) having among the toughest penalties in Canada, the B.C. government also supports animal welfare with contributions through government activities and programs.

The Government of B.C. supports animal welfare by:

• Facilitating education sessions to increase knowledge of the animal welfare challenges facing the agriculture industry
• Building awareness of production practices that support animal welfare
• Supporting scientific investigations to identify and address potential gaps
• Monitoring issues and developing appropriate solutions to ensure an effective government framework for animal welfare
• Inspecting dairy farms to ensure regulatory compliance regarding the provision of suitable animal housing, cleanliness, and clean water
• Providing animal necropsy services and livestock training support to the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) to enhance their enforcement actions
• Participating in the animal welfare program of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), which provides funding for animal welfare projects

Farm animal welfare in British Columbia:  Frequently asked questions

Sled dog protection in British Columbia

Dog and Cat Breeding Consultation Summary

Stakeholder consultations regarding input to potential legislation to assist the BC SPCA to monitor and take action against irresponsible breeders of dogs and cats.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food’s Advisory Committee on farmed animal welfare

The deputy minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food formed an Advisory Committee (the Committee) to assess the farmed animal welfare framework in B.C. During its term, the Committee was tasked with making the framework more explicit and transparent, ensuring the framework promotes high standards of farmed animal welfare, and supports those involved in delivering these standards on an ongoing basis.

The Committee was composed of experts in components of the framework and different areas of animal welfare. The Committee members were as follows:

• Cpl. Cory Lepine: Enforcement Representation
• Calvin Breukelman: Poultry/Broiler Hatching Egg Industry Representation
• David Janssens: Large Scale Milk Industry Representation
• Jack DeWit: Hog Industry Representation
• Jacqueline Wepruk: National Farm Animal Welfare Organization Representation
• Jeffrey Spitters: Organic/Chicken Industry Representation
• Jennifer Woike: Poultry/Egg Industry, BC Agriculture Council Representation
• Kevin Boon: Cattle Industry Representation
• Dr. Lisa McCrea: Farm Animal Veterinarian Representation
• Dr. Marina von Keyserlingk: Animal Welfare Scientific Advisor
• Mark Siemens: Egg Industry Representation
• Dr. Megan Bergman: Veterinarian/College of Veterinarians of B.C. Representation
• Nicole Sillett: Dairy Industry Representation
• Nova Woodbury:  Meat Processing Representation
• Dr. Peter McKenzie: Farmed Fish Industry/Aquaculture Veterinarian Representation
• Marcie Moriarty: Enforcement Representation
• Richard Harry: Aquaculture Industry and Indigenous Representation

Farmed Animal Welfare Recommendations Report

The Farmed Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, comprised of experts with extensive experience in the field, has released a report outlining recommendations to enhance farmed animal welfare in British Columbia. Despite diverse perspectives on the current state of welfare, the Committee reached consensus on key areas for improvement.

The Province will carefully review these recommendations as part of a multi-year process to strengthen the farmed animal welfare framework. Public awareness and understanding will also be a focus. This collaborative effort aims to improve the lives of farmed animals in British Columbia:

• Farmed Animal Welfare Recommendations Report (PDF, 3MB)
• Farmed Animal Welfare Legislative Framework (PDF, 4.4MB)