Cruelty Investigations

What is cruelty? 

The Nova Scotia SPCA is empowered under the provincial Animal Cruelty Prevention Act to investigate complaints of animal cruelty; help secure the arrest, conviction and punishment of all persons violating the Act; and, when necessary, seize animals from situations of cruelty or neglect. Animal cruelty is defined under the Act as:

• Willfully causing an animal unnecessary pain, suffering or injury.
  
• Causing or permitting an animal in your care to be or to continue to be in distress, with distress meaning: in need of adequate care, food, water or shelter; or
  
• injured, sick, in pain, or suffering undue hardship, privation or neglect.

The Nova Scotia SPCA employs three paid Cruelty Investigators and several volunteer Special Constables to carry out its mandate of preventing and investigating animal cruelty. The Nova Scotia SPCA investigated 1,264 cruelty complaints in 2008, up from 955 in 2007.

Animal cruelty is a CRIME. It can mean many different acts, from abandonment or neglect to malicious torture or killing.

Possible Signs of Animal Abuse:
Physical SignsCollar so tight that it has caused a neck wound or has become embedded in the pet’s neck

• Open wounds, signs of multiple healed wounds or an ongoing injury or illness that isn’t being treated
  
• Unexplained wounds, patches of missing fur, lameness
  
• Untreated skin conditions that have caused loss of hair, scaly skin, bumps or rashes
  
• Extreme thinness or emaciation—bones may be visible
  
• Fur infested with fleas, ticks or other parasites
• Patches of bumpy, scaly skin rashes

• Signs of inadequate grooming, such as extreme matting of fur, overgrown nails and dirty coat
  
• Weakness, limping or the inability to stand or walk normally
  
• Heavy discharge from eyes or nose
  
• An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal
  
• Visible signs of confusion or extreme drowsiness
  
• Being hit or beaten by a hand or object
  
• Sick or injured but not under a vet’s care

Environmental Signs

• Pets are tied up alone outside for long periods of time without adequate food or water, or with food or water that is unsanitary
  
• Pets living in unsanitary conditions
  
• Pets are kept outside in inclement weather without access to adequate shelter
  
• Pets are kept in an area littered with feces, garbage, broken glass or other objects that could harm them
  
• Animals are housed in kennels or cages (very often crowded in with other animals) that are too small to allow them to stand, turn around and make normal movements possibly with too many other animals
  
• Animal “hoarders” - people who collect too many animals to properly care for them

What happens to mistreated animals?

Nova Scotia SPCA Investigators and Special Constables have the authority of peace officers when enforcing laws pertaining to animal welfare and cruelty prevention. Upon finding an animal in distress, if the owner or caretaker does not act or cannot be found, Special Constables are permitted to take such action as they consider necessary to relieve the distress. 

This may include: 

• Taking the animal into protective custody;
• Arranging for any necessary transportation, food, water, care, shelter and medical treatment; or
• Delivering the animal into the custody of the Society or another suitable caretaker.

Individuals found guilty of animal cruelty may be charged and fined up to $5000 and/or receive a jail term of up to six months and/or may be prohibited from owning animals for life. 

Commitment to Principles

Adoption of domestic animals is facilitated through the branches of the Nova Scotia SPCA throughout the province. Shelters in Dartmouth, Kentville, New Glasgow, Sydney, Truro and Yarmouth, and foster-care networks in Antigonish, Lunenburg County and Liverpool, provide adoption services that help homeless animals find new, permanent homes. Nova Scotia SPCA branches are often overflowing with young and adult animals that deserve loving new homes. Adoption is often an economical option as well, with many services such as your new pet's spay/neuter operation often included in the adoption fee.

When you adopt from a SPCA:

• Your new pet typically will be spayed or neutered, vet checked, vaccinated and dewormed, all for an adoption fee that is less than the cost of these services combined.
• You support a good cause rather than providing revenue for puppy and kitten mills by purchasing from a pet store.
• You give a homeless animal a second chance at the life they deserve, and you help make room for another animal to take their place and begin the journey to a permanent, loving home.

Adoption Agreement

METRO ADOPTION AGREEMENT

For the benefit of all future adopters we have provided a copy of the Metro SPCA adoption contract details below to clarify what adopters are agreeing to when adopting an animal from our shelter:

ADOPTER AGREES TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF ADOPTION:

1. The animal will be kept primarily indoors, and if outside for any length of time will be provided with a weatherproof shelter and bedding. Animals are not to be left unattended for any long duration of time tethered and the tether must be longer than six feet.

2. The animal will be provided with proper and sufficient food, water and veterinary treatment as the animal may require throughout its life.

3. The Society shall have the right to inspect the animal from time to time. If the conditions under which the animal is kept are not satisfactory, a SPCA Inspector (or their designate) may take re-possession of the animal, in accordance with the powers of a Special Constable, and in such case the Society shall not be liable to refund the adoption fee. This seems an excessive use of powers that suggest illegal search and seizure: signing this document is not equivalent to surrendering one's right to protection from such actions. 

4. The Society will not be responsible for the nature or condition of the said animal at the time of adoption, nor will the Society be obligated to refund or exchange the animal. _____ Adopter Initial

5. The Adopter will forthwith obtain a license tag as may be required by law.

6. The Adopter will observe all laws and by-laws concerning animals, and not permit the animal to run at large or become a public nuisance. The Adopter will retrieve the animal from any shelter/pound if impounded.

7. The Society is not responsible for any medical expenses after the animal leaves the shelter. ______ Adopter Initial

8. The Adopter is provided with a free vet visit within 48 hours of adoption. If health problems are detected, a full refund or exchange will be given within a day of the vet visit provided this receipt is returned. This contradicts no. 4 and no. 7,

9. If animal is not already spayed or neutered prior to adoption than the Adopter is required to have animal spayed or neutered at age of maturity (6 months old) or within two months from the date of adoption. Does this mean that the SPCA is adopting out animals that are not spayed or neutered? If so, why? Doesn't the adoption fee cover the cost of spaying/neutering. If the SPCA is truly dedicated to controlling the pet population, why would it not spay and neuter animals before adopting them out? Also, puppies and kittens are are commonly spayed at two months, not six. (And how is this requirement to spay/neuter enforced or followed through with the owner?)

10. Adopter will notify the SPCA Metro Shelter immediately if no longer able to keep the animal, as it must be either returned to the SPCA for re-adoption or the SPCA must approve of the ownership change.

 

Under the NS SPCA Policy Manual, mutilation to an animal is deemed as a cruel act. The SPCA does not support ear-cropping, tail docking, de-barking or declawing. Adopters are not permitted to have any of these procedures done on any animal adopted from the SPCA. If declawing is an issue for adopters than those adopters will only be permitted to adopt cats currently in the SPCA's care that have been admitted to our care already declawed. ______ Adopter Initial