(PETA)
ONLY IN ONTARIO is it law that animals (dogs/cats) in pounds and animals (dogs/cats) breed in “supply facilities” are sold to licensed research lab facilities.
ANIMALS IN RESEARCH ACT (ARA)
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90a22
If you asked residents in Ontario if this practice actually took place, we are quite confident in saying the vast majority of people would have no idea that this happens and would actually say they do not believe it happens here. But happens – it does! And it is legal.
Ontario is unique in having an Act specific to research animals, the Animals for Research Act, which enables an inspectorate to control the registration of research facilities and the issuance of licences for supply facilities.
While the ARA involve both domestic and wild animals – most of the animals sent to licensed research facilities under this act are domestic animals (dogs/cats). And the animals coming from licensed “supply facilities” are domestic as well.
From the Ont Ministry Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs which administers and oversees the Ontario Animal Research Act:
“According to OMFRA, researchers can acquire pet dogs and cats from municipal pounds, humane societies with pound contracts, and rescue groups that take animals from municipal pounds. They may also acquire pet dogs and cats that are “donated by owners” which, in some cases means that pet owners volunteer to bring their animals in on a regular basis to be used as experimental subjects. Researchers may also acquire animals for testing from pet stores or breeders with special permission from OMFRA.”
Note that animals possessed by registered research facilities or by licensed supply facilities, were exempt from the provisions of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Act (OSPCAA), now the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (the PAWS Act).
The ARA addresses concerns around any pain and animal that they require that animals “used in a registered research facility in any experiment that is likely to result in pain to the animal shall be anaesthetized so as to prevent the animal from suffering unnecessary pain”, and analgesics must be supplied by the operator for the period of it’s recovery from any procedure used in an experiment. The ARA even addresses standards around enclosures, environment, temperatures etc.
The one thing this law by the Province of Ontario does not address – does not even consider is the DISTRESS that animal will endure !!!
And that is cruel and inhumane!