Appeals court overturns OSPCA challenge

Ontario landowners’ challenge to Ontario’s animal welfare legislation got overturned by an appeals court last month.

The challenge, launched by now-president of the Ontario Landowners Association, Jeffrey Bogaerts, was initially successful, with a ruling handed down in January in the landowners’ favour. The decision gave the province a year to introduce a new system of animal welfare enforcement.

The province appealed a month later, but the OSPCA announced in March it would be stepping away from its investigative role, positioning itself to support another organization take over policing duties.

The province introduced new animal welfare legislation last month, which includes stiffer penalties.