Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | OSPCA |
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| Formation | 1873 |
| Type | Animal welfare organization |
| Legal status | active |
| Purpose | advocate and public voice, educator and network |
| Headquarters | Whitchurch–Stouffville, Ontario |
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Region served
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Ontario |
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Official language
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English French |
| Website | OSPCA |
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society (often called Ontario SPCA) is a special group in Canada. It's a registered charity that works to protect animals. They also speak up for animals and their rights.
In 2009, the Ontario SPCA started a new program. They began offering many spay/neuter surgeries for pets in Ontario. This helps control the number of pets and prevents too many animals from being born without homes.
A Look Back: History
The Ontario SPCA started way back in 1873. It was created as a charity to stop people from being cruel to animals.
In 1919, the Ontario SPCA became an official non-profit organization in Ontario. Besides its charity work, it also took on a big job. It helped enforce the animal welfare laws for the Government of Ontario.
How They Help Animals
For many years, the Ontario government did not give money to the Ontario SPCA. This was for their work enforcing animal welfare laws.
But in 2013, the government started providing funds. They gave $5.5 million each year for this service across the province. This amount went up to $5.75 million every year in 2017.
Changes in Their Role
In January 2019, an Ontario court made an important decision. A judge ruled that it was not right for a private charity to have police-like powers. This was especially true if the government didn't oversee them closely.
The court gave the government one year to create a new system. This would allow the government to take over these duties. The Ontario SPCA itself was not involved in this court case. In February 2019, the government said they would challenge this ruling.
In March 2019, the Ontario SPCA decided to give back the law enforcement duties to the province. They offered a new way of working. Now, the Ontario SPCA helps other groups that enforce animal laws. They provide support services related to animals.
The Ontario SPCA also offered to keep helping for three months. This was to make sure the government had a smooth changeover. By June 2019, the Ontario SPCA had fully stopped enforcing animal welfare laws. They returned this job to the government. This decision was made because of the court's ruling. It was also due to concerns for the safety of their officers. Plus, some current laws, like those about specific dog breeds, didn't fit with the charity's main goal.
