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 is a Canadian charity. It works to protect animals and speak up for them. The group is often called the Ontario SPCA for short.
In 2009, the Ontario SPCA started new programs. These programs helped control the number of pets in Ontario. They focused on spaying and neutering animals. This helps prevent too many pets from being born without homes.
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About the Ontario SPCA
The Ontario SPCA is a registered charity. This means it is a non-profit group that helps others. Their main goal is to protect animals. They also work to educate people about animal care.
When the OSPCA Started
The Ontario SPCA began in 1873. It was founded to stop cruelty to animals. In 1919, it became an official non-profit group in Ontario. Besides its charity work, it also helped enforce animal protection laws for the government.
How the OSPCA Was Funded
For many years, from 1919 to 2013, the Ontario government did not give money to the Ontario SPCA. Even so, the SPCA helped enforce animal welfare laws.
Government Funding for Animal Welfare
In 2013, the government started giving the Ontario SPCA money. They received $5.5 million each year. This money helped them provide services across Ontario. In 2017, this amount increased to $5.75 million every year.
Changes in Responsibilities
In January 2019, a judge in Ontario made an important decision. The judge said it was not fair for a private charity to have police-like powers. This was because there was no direct government control over these powers.
Shifting Law Enforcement Duties
The judge's decision gave the Ontario government one year to create a new system. The Ontario SPCA was not part of this court case. In February 2019, the government decided to challenge the judge's ruling.
In March 2019, the Ontario SPCA began to change its role. They started giving their law enforcement duties back to the government. The Ontario SPCA then offered to help enforcement agencies with animal-related support. They also continued to help for three months during the change. By June 2019, the Ontario SPCA had fully handed over its role in enforcing animal welfare laws. This change happened because of the court's decision. It also happened because of safety worries for Ontario SPCA officers. Some laws, like those about specific dog breeds, also conflicted with the charity's mission.
