By Bruce Cochrane
The executive director of the fledgling Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan says creation of the new organization has avoided any lapse in enforcement of Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act.
Effective April 1 the newly formed Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan took over the enforcement of Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act following a decision by the Saskatchewan SPCA to narrow its focus to programs and services related to education and prevention of animal cruelty.
Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan executive director Kaley Pugh explains Saskatchewan's animal protection act states animal protection officers must be employed by a humane society so the only option was to start up a new one.
Kaley Pugh-Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan:
I think it's really important that we've been able to establish this organization so that the enforcement work does continue.
There had been a potential for a void in there services and that's obviously not acceptable to anybody.
I think the other thing that's really important is that the staff that are coming along to the new organization are experienced and professional people that have been doing this type of work so it's really excellent that we were able to maintain that expertise with the new group.
I'll be the executive director of the organization.
We will have an office person who's come over with us to the new organization.
There'll be animal protection officers that are doing the work in the field and then the board of directors is actually made up out of a quite a large variety of people from around the province.
We have veterinarians, horse people, cattle people, a representative of the pork industry and some other folks as well.
Pugh notes the Animal Protection Act is fairly broad and applies to all animals including pets, fish, wildlife and farm animals.
For more on the Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan visit animalprotectionservices.ca.
Source: Farmscape