Canada’s federal government has introduced an exciting new bill that could end some of the worst and most painful forms of animal experimentation.
Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act is currently working its way through the Senate. This long-overdue government bill would revamp the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (“CEPA”), one of the most important environmental laws in the country which regulates toxic substances to protect people, animals, and the planet.
The bill recognizes the need to reduce and replace the use of animals in toxicity testing—one of the most suffering-intensive categories of animal research. But if the Liberal government plans to follow through on its election campaign promise to phase out all toxicity testing on animals by 2035, the bill needs improvements. There must be strong legal requirements to eliminate unnecessary testing on animals by 2035 at the latest, and to promote the development and use of non-animal testing methods.
That’s where Animal Justice comes in.
We’re working with a coalition of groups to strengthen Bill S-5 and ensure it results in meaningful progress for animals, while also strengthening its protections for the environment and human health.
Many toxicity tests fall into “Category E”—the most severe category of harm that animals can experience, according to the Canadian Council on Animal Care. In 2019, approximately 90,000 animals experienced Category E toxicity tests that cause death, severe pain, and extreme distress. These tests can involve procedures such as inflicting burns or trauma on unanesthetized animals, and forced ingestion or topical application of deadly substances.
We are optimistic that many of our suggested amendments will be incorporated into Bill S-5, and that it will mark a turning point for animals used in research. Just last week, Senator Pierre Dalphond asked Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault if he was open to strengthening the Act amendments to better protect animals from cruel toxicity testing—and the Minister said yes! This is good news.
Canada has some of the worst animal protection laws in the industrialized world. There is virtually no government oversight or no federal regulations to protect animals in laboratories.
In 2017, a shocking undercover exposé released by Last Chance for Animals revealed horrific abuse of monkeys, dogs, and pigs during toxicity tests at a research laboratory in Montreal. Yet no one was ever charged for this cruelty, and there have been no legal improvements that would better protect animals suffering behind closed doors in labs.
Animal Justice and other groups have been pushing for years for Canada to end the use of animals in cosmetics and toxicity testing. Our lawyers will keep working to improve Bill S-5, and we’ll keep pushing for stronger laws to protect animals used in research and put Canada on the path to a cruelty-free future.
Serikali ya Canada imewasilisha muswada mpya wa kusisimua ambao unaweza kumaliza baadhi ya aina mbaya zaidi na zenye uchungu zaidi za majaribio ya wanyama. Sheria ya S5 ya Kuimarisha Ulinzi wa Mazingira kwa Canada yenye Afya Zaidi inapatikana katika Seneti ya Canada. Sheria hiyo ya serikali ya mwaka 1999 inaitwa Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) na inahusu mazingira ya watu, wanyama na mazingira. Muswada huo unatambua haja ya kupunguza na kubadilisha matumizi ya wanyama katika upimaji wa sumu - moja ya makundi ya utafiti wa wanyama wenye kuteseka zaidi. Serikali ya Liberal ya Uingereza imepanga kutekeleza ahadi yake ya kampeni ya uchaguzi wa kutangaza kuondoa vipimo vya sumu kwenye wanyama kufikia mwaka 2035. "Kuna lazima kuwe na mahitaji ya kisheria ya kuondoa majaribio yasiyo ya lazima juu ya wanyama hadi 2035, na kukuza maendeleo na matumizi ya mbinu za majaribio yasiyo ya wanyama. """ Hapo ndipo Haki ya Wanyama inapoingia. """Tunafanya kazi na muungano wa makundi kuimarisha Bill S-5 na kuhakikisha inatoa maendeleo ya maana kwa wanyama, wakati pia kuimarisha ulinzi wake kwa mazingira na afya ya binadamu." Majaribio mengi ya sumu yanaanguka katika <unk>Kategoria E<unk> jamii kali zaidi ya madhara ambayo wanyama wanaweza kupata, kulingana na Baraza la Canada la Utunzaji wa Wanyama. Katika mwaka wa 2019, karibu wanyama 90,000 walipitia vipimo vya sumu vya Jamii E ambavyo husababisha kifo, maumivu makali, na shida kubwa. Majaribio haya yanaweza kuhusisha taratibu kama vile kusababisha kuchoma au majeraha kwenye wanyama wasio na anesthesia, na kumlazimisha kula au matumizi ya ndani ya vitu vyenye kuua. """Tuna matumaini kwamba marekebisho mengi tunayoyashauri yataingizwa katika muswada wa S5 na kwamba itaashiria hatua ya kubadilisha kwa wanyama wanaotumiwa katika utafiti." Wiki iliyopita tu, Seneta Pierre Dalphond aliuliza Waziri wa Mazingira Steven Guilbeault ikiwa alikuwa wazi kuimarisha marekebisho ya Sheria ili kulinda wanyama vizuri kutoka kwa majaribio ya sumu ya kikatili - na Waziri alisema ndiyo! Hizi ni habari njema. Kanada ina baadhi ya sheria mbaya zaidi za ulinzi wa wanyama katika ulimwengu wa viwanda. Kwa kweli hakuna usimamizi wa serikali au sheria za shirikisho za kulinda wanyama katika maabara. Katika ripoti ya mwaka 2017 iliyochapishwa na shirika la Last Chance for Animals, ilifunua jinsi nyani, mbwa na nguruwe walivyotendewa vibaya sana wakati wa majaribio ya sumu katika maabara ya utafiti huko Montreal. Hata hivyo, hakuna mtu aliyewahi kushtakiwa kwa ukatili huu, na hakuna marekebisho ya kisheria ambayo yangelinda wanyama wanaoteseka nyuma ya milango iliyofungwa katika maabara. Kwa miaka mingi, shirika la Haki za Wanyama la Canada limekuwa likisukuma Canada kukomesha matumizi ya wanyama katika vipimo vya dawa za kulevya na sumu. "Wakili wetu wataendelea kufanya kazi ili kuboresha Muswada S5 na tutaendelea kushinikiza sheria kali zaidi kulinda wanyama wanaotumiwa katika utafiti na kuweka Canada kwenye njia ya siku zijazo bila ukatili. """