Bill C-229 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (cruelty to animals)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 40th Parliament, 1st Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
Bill C-229 amends the Criminal Code to create new federal offences for animal cruelty, increase maximum penalties, and establish special protections for law enforcement animals.
Bill C-229 proposes changes to Canadian federal criminal law to address animal cruelty more comprehensively. The bill would add a new section to the Criminal Code that creates specific offences related to animals and establishes penalties for those who harm them. The bill defines "animal" as any vertebrate except humans. It would make it a crime to deliberately or recklessly cause unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal; kill an animal brutally or viciously; kill an animal without lawful excuse; poison an animal or give it harmful drugs; participate in animal fighting or baiting; create spaces for animal fights; organize events where captive animals are released to be shot; or allow premises to be used for these activities. The bill also addresses negligence toward animals, such as carelessly injuring animals or failing to provide proper food, water, shelter, and care. It would allow courts to ban people convicted of animal cruelty from owning or controlling animals and to order them to pay for the care of animals harmed by their conduct. The bill includes special provisions for law enforcement animals (dogs, horses, and other animals used by police), making it a separate offence to poison, injure, or kill them while they are assisting officers. It would also allow courts to order restitution for costs associated with injuries to or loss of law enforcement animals. The bill would repeal existing sections 444 to 447.1 of the Criminal Code, which appear to address similar conduct. It clarifies that the bill does not override common law defences or Aboriginal and treaty rights recognized in the Constitution. Note: This bill received its first reading on November 26, 2008, and the bill text does not indicate whether it was passed into law.
- Creates a new Part V.1 of the Criminal Code titled 'Cruelty to Animals' with a definition of animal as any vertebrate other than a human
- Establishes criminal offences for deliberately or recklessly causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal
- Establishes criminal offences for brutally or viciously killing an animal, or killing an animal without lawful excuse
- Establishes criminal offences for poisoning an animal or administering harmful drugs to an animal without lawful excuse
- Establishes criminal offences for participating in animal fighting, baiting, or related activities
- Establishes criminal offences for creating spaces or venues for animal fights
- Establishes criminal offences for organizing or participating in events where captive animals are released to be shot
- Establishes criminal offences for allowing premises to be used for animal fighting or shooting activities
- Establishes criminal offences for negligently causing injury to animals, failing to provide adequate care to animals in one's custody, or negligently injuring animals during transport
- Sets maximum penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment for indictable animal cruelty offences, or up to $10,000 fine and/or 18 months imprisonment on summary conviction
- Sets maximum penalties of up to 2 years imprisonment for indictable negligent animal care offences, or up to $5,000 fine and/or 6 months imprisonment on summary conviction
- Allows courts to prohibit convicted individuals from owning, controlling, or living in the same premises as an animal, with a minimum 5-year ban for repeat offences
- Allows courts to order convicted individuals to pay reasonable costs incurred in caring for animals harmed by their conduct
- Creates a separate offence for wilfully or recklessly poisoning, injuring, or killing law enforcement animals with a maximum of 5 years imprisonment or $10,000 fine and/or 18 months imprisonment on summary conviction
- Allows courts to order restitution for reasonable costs associated with loss of or injury to law enforcement animals
- Repeals existing Criminal Code sections 444 to 447.1
- Clarifies that existing common law defences continue to apply to animal cruelty proceedings
- Clarifies that the bill does not override Aboriginal and treaty rights
- People who own or have custody or control of animals
- People who engage in animal fighting, baiting, or related activities
- People who organize events involving release of captive animals to be shot
- People who operate premises used for animal fighting or similar activities
- Peace officers and public officers who use animals (dogs, horses, and other animals) in their duties
- Individuals convicted of animal cruelty offences who may face imprisonment, fines, prohibition from owning animals, and restitution orders
- Organizations and individuals who provide care for animals harmed by criminal conduct
- Aboriginal peoples, whose existing rights are preserved under the bill
- The criminal justice system, including courts that will apply and enforce the new offences
- Obligation not to wilfully or recklessly cause unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal
- Obligation not to kill an animal brutally or viciously or without lawful excuse
- Obligation not to poison an animal or administer harmful substances to it without lawful excuse
- Obligation of animal owners to provide suitable and adequate food, water, air, shelter, and care
- Obligation not to participate in, organize, or allow animal fighting, baiting, or related activities on one's premises
- Obligation not to organize or participate in events involving shooting of released captive animals
- Obligation not to poison, injure, or kill law enforcement animals
- Right of courts to impose animal ownership prohibitions as part of sentencing
- Right of courts to order restitution for costs of animal care or law enforcement animal losses
- Right of individuals to raise common law defences where applicable
- Right to assert Aboriginal and treaty rights as recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982
- Bill C-229 received First Reading on November 26, 2008
- The bill text does not specify a commencement date or when the amendments would take effect if the bill were passed
- Maximum fines of $10,000 for wilful or reckless animal cruelty on summary conviction
- Maximum fines of $5,000 for negligent animal care on summary conviction
- Maximum fines of $10,000 for poisoning, injuring, or killing law enforcement animals on summary conviction
- Potential restitution orders requiring individuals to pay reasonable costs incurred by organizations or persons caring for harmed animals
- Potential restitution orders requiring individuals to pay reasonable costs for loss of or injury to law enforcement animals
- Indictable offence for wilful or reckless animal cruelty: imprisonment up to 5 years (section 182.2(2)(a))
- Summary conviction offence for wilful or reckless animal cruelty: fine up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to 18 months (section 182.2(2)(b))
- Indictable offence for negligent animal care: imprisonment up to 2 years (section 182.3(3)(a))
- Summary conviction offence for negligent animal care: fine up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months (section 182.3(3)(b))
- Court may prohibit ownership or custody of animals for a period the court considers appropriate; minimum 5 years for second or subsequent offence (section 182.4(1)(a))
- Court may order restitution of reasonable costs for animal care resulting from the offence (section 182.4(1)(b))
- Breach of animal prohibition order is a summary conviction offence (section 182.4(2))
- Indictable offence for poisoning, injuring, or killing a law enforcement animal: imprisonment up to 5 years (section 182.7(3)(a))
- Summary conviction offence for poisoning, injuring, or killing a law enforcement animal: fine up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to 18 months (section 182.7(3)(b))
- Court may order restitution for reasonable costs associated with loss of or injury to a law enforcement animal (section 182.7(4))
- The bill text does not specify what constitutes 'unnecessary' pain, suffering, or injury, which would likely be determined by courts on a case-by-case basis
- The bill text does not define 'lawful excuse' for killing or poisoning animals, leaving this to be determined by courts
- The bill text does not provide examples of what 'brutal' or 'vicious' killing means
- The bill text does not specify what 'suitable and adequate' food, water, air, shelter and care means, which would be subject to interpretation by courts
- The bill text does not explain what specific time period constitutes appropriate for an animal prohibition order in cases not involving repeat offences
- The bill text does not clarify which specific defences in section 429(2) of the Criminal Code apply to animal cruelty offences
- The bill text does not specify the enforcement mechanisms or agency responsible for investigating animal cruelty offences
- The bill text does not indicate when the amendments would come into force if passed
- The bill text does not clarify whether farmers, veterinarians, hunters, or other groups receive exemptions from these offences based on legitimate purposes
- The bill's status as of the document date is 'Outside the Order of Precedence,' indicating it is not currently scheduled for debate; it is unclear whether it was ever passed into law
Adds comprehensive new criminal offences and penalties for animal cruelty, including specific provisions for law enforcement animals, and repeals existing sections 444 to 447.1
Source: Sections 1 through 4 of Bill C-229
Updates the wording to reference the new animal cruelty provisions when addressing defences related to killing, poisoning, or injuring animals
Source: Section 2 of Bill C-229
Clarifies that legal justification, excuse, and colour of right remain valid defences to certain property damage offences
Source: Section 3 of Bill C-229
Removes existing animal-related offence provisions that are replaced by the new comprehensive animal cruelty offences in Part V.1
Source: Section 4 of Bill C-229
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textParliamentary Process
We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
Bill C-229, concerning cruelty to animals, was introduced and received first reading in the House of Commons on November 26, 2008, and is currently outside the Order of Precedence.
On November 26, 2008, Bill C-229, an Act to amend the Criminal Code concerning cruelty to animals, underwent its first reading in the House of Commons. This procedural step marks the formal introduction of the bill. The bill's status is currently outside the Order of Precedence, meaning it has not yet been scheduled for debate or further progression. The artifact also notes similar bills that were introduced in previous Parliaments.
Bill C-229, an Act to amend the Criminal Code concerning cruelty to animals, was introduced and received first reading in the House of Commons.
This document records the first reading of Bill C-229, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (cruelty to animals), in the House of Commons on November 26, 2008. During the 'Routine Proceedings' section, the bill was introduced by Member of Parliament Mark Holland and was given first reading, meaning it was formally presented to the House and ordered to be printed. This stage does not involve debate on the bill's contents or a vote on its passage. The rest of the document consists of other parliamentary business, including statements by members, oral questions regarding the economy, environment, and other matters, and the introduction of other bills.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Consideration in committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Report stage yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced