Provincial Legislation
Animals for Research Act
This Act provids a focus for humane care and use of all animals in research through
establishing minimum standards. The purpose of the act is threefold: to maintain a minimum
standard of care and well-being for all animals used in research; to protect research animals
from unnecessary pain; and to ensure that dogs used in research are obtained legally and
are not wanted as pets. The Act requires all researchers to be accountable to animal care
committees for their use of animals; it protects all vertebrates including fish, rodents, reptiles,
birds, primates and livestock; prescribes minimum standards and requirements; provides
minimum redemption times for animals impounded; and it provides minimum standards for
municipal pounds. The Animals for Research Act is enforced by inspectors who are appointed
by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Dead Animal Disposal Act
The Dead Animal Disposal Act states that all dead animals must be disposed of within 48
hours. A "dead animal" means the carcass, or any part thereof, of a horse, goat, sheep,
swine or head of cattle that has died from any cause other than slaughter. The Act pertains
to the treatment, collection, handling, sale and disposal of animals that have died from any
cause other than slaughter, including fallen animals that were disabled by disease,
emaciation, or other condition likely to cause death; and animals not slaughtered for the
purposes of obtaining or producing meat products.
Dog Owner's Liability Act
This Act designates dog owners (or the parents/guardians of owners who are minors)
responsibility for bites or attacks by their dog on a person or other domestic animal. An
exclusion may be made if the bite or attack occurred on a person in the process of
committing a criminal act or in the destruction of the owner's property. The Act covers all
breeds of dogs but has specific regulations for pit bull owners including a mandatory
requirement for all dogs to be muzzled and leashed off the owner's property. In case of a
dog bite or attack, the Ontario Court of Justice may order one of the following: destruction of
the dog; measures for more effective control; confinement; leash; muzzle and prohibition of
the individual from dog ownership for a specified period of time. The Dog Owner's Liability
Act is enforced by local municipalities and police forces.
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act
This Act pertains to the classification, protection, treatment, rehabilitation, marking,
transportation, hunting, trapping, release and propagation of the following wild animals:
animals (mammals except humans, birds, reptiles, and amphibians); fish and farmed
animals normally seen in the wild (for the purpose of commercial propagation, commercial
production of meat, hides, pelts, antlers and other products). The Act includes special
provisions for endangered species. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act is enforced by
Conservation Officers appointed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and may also be
enforced by any of the following: police officers; First Nations constables; RCMP; Game
Officers designated under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and Park Wardens designated
under the National Parks Act.
Food Safety and Quality Act
This is an Act to provide for: the quality and safety of food, agricultural or aquatic commodities and
agricultural inputs; the management of food safety risks; and the control and regulation of
regulatable activities. "Regulatable activities" include: the raising and slaughter of animals or
fish; and the collection, buying, receiving, possessing for prescribed purposes, identification,
branding, handling, storage, moving and transportation of animals and fish. The Food Safety
and Quality Act is enforced by inspectors appointed and certified by the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Livestock Community Sales Act
This Act states that animals must be inspected before sale. Any sick or injured animals must
be segregated for veterinary examination. The Act also regulates standards for community
sales and their operation and is enforced by The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Livestock and Livestock Products Act
Regulation 732/94 of the Livestock and Livestock Products Act provides special care for
non-ambulatory animals. Specifically, all non-ambulatory animals require a veterinary
certificate. A non-ambulatory animal is defined as "any animal that due to age, injury,
metabolic or systemic disease, etc., is unable to raise itself without assistance to a standing
and walking state," as defined by the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association. "Downer" and "downed animal" are terms used in reference to a non-ambulatory animal. The Livestock and Livestock Products Act is enforced by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Livestock Medicines Act
The Livestock Medicines Act states that a designated committee shall review all legislation
and regulations pertaining to livestock medicine and report to and advise the Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) on matters relating to the control and
regulation of livestock medicines. The committee also evaluates and recommends
procedures relating to the sale of livestock medicines and proper standards for the
maintenance, handling and storage of livestock medicines. The committee makes
recommendations respecting the designation of drugs or classes of drugs as livestock
medicines, and the designation of livestock medicines for sale under a licence or any class of
licence. OMAFRA is responsible for enforcement of the Act.
Milk Act
The purpose and intent of the Milk Act is to stimulate, increase and improve the producing of
milk within Ontario. It includes regulations to provide for the control and regulation in any or
all respects of the producing or marketing within Ontario of any milk product, and to provide
for the control and regulation in any or all respects of the quality of milk, milk products and
fluid milk products within Ontario. The Milk Act is enforced by Inspectors, or "Field Persons"
of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Act.
