Message from the Solicitor General

On behalf of the Ontario government, I am proud to present the first Animal Welfare Services (AWS) Annual Report. Public safety is essential to this province and that includes animal welfare. As we reflect on the accomplishments of AWS over the past year, I am inspired by the collective impact of their efforts. Whether it is rescuing animals in need, advocating for better standards of care, or educating the community, their work reaffirms Ontario’s position as a leader in the protection of all animals.

This year, there were important amendments made to the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS Act) introduced through the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023. The changes included enhanced enforcement provisions, stricter penalties for animal cruelty offenses, and expanded protections for vulnerable animals. By modernizing our animal welfare laws and holding animal abusers to account, we are sending a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated in our province.

Looking ahead, we will continue to strengthen animal welfare through the introduction of new legislation and remain vigilant in our efforts to safeguard animals across Ontario. Advocating for stronger animal protection laws, supporting initiatives that promote humane treatment, and fostering an empathetic culture will help create a brighter future for all animals.

Signed in original

Michael Kerzner
Solicitor General

Message from the Chief Animal Welfare Inspector

As the Chief Animal Welfare Inspector, I am honoured to lead AWS as we strive to ensure that animals across the province are safeguarded and treated in a humane manner.

Ontario has a robust animal welfare system that provides animals with the protection they deserve. The PAWS Act ensures appropriate and effective requirements are in place. Beyond conducting inspections and investigations, AWS also promotes animal welfare through outreach and public education opportunities.

This report provides an opportunity to reflect on our recent accomplishments in advancing AWS’ mandate. Throughout 2023, we achieved strong compliance and enforcement outcomes while managing wide-ranging and complex animal welfare cases. We dedicated resources to provide proactive supports, responded to animal welfare complaints, and addressed major cases. We continued with our animal disease response planning activities and established the veterinary services team, made up of veterinarians and animal care specialists to ensure animals in our custody get the care they need. In addition, we pursued greater collaboration with our partners and stakeholders because we know that together we can make meaningful changes.

AWS is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health and safety of animals. We will continue to work hard as an effective enforcement body to achieve positive outcomes for animals in Ontario.

Signed in original

Melanie Milczynski
Chief Animal Welfare Inspector

About AWS

AWS is a division of the Ministry of the Solicitor General that is responsible for enforcing the PAWS Act. It aims to promote the safety and well-being of Ontario’s animals through proactive and preventative measures.

AWS was established when the PAWS Act came into effect in 2020, becoming the first provincial government-based animal welfare enforcement system in Canada. AWS is led by the Chief Animal Welfare Inspector of Ontario and operates with a team of provincial animal welfare inspectors who have expertise in various areas such as livestock, zoos, aquariums, and equines. They carry out inspections, respond to animal welfare concerns and conduct investigations and raise awareness about animal care best practices.

Inspectors work across Ontario and attend residential and commercial settings such as farms, breeding facilities, animal rescues, pet stores and zoos. Inspectors conduct enforcement activities throughout Ontario’s 444 municipalities and 133 First Nation communities, covering over 1 million square kilometres. There are millions of potential locations for inspections and investigations across Ontario and a wide range of animals for which AWS has oversight.

Recognizing the importance of education and outreach, AWS encourages compliance with the PAWS Act by raising public and stakeholder awareness through attendance at events and conferences, marketing materials and social media.

AWS works with:

  • municipal police services, First Nations police and the Ontario Provincial Police
  • veterinarians
  • livestock stakeholders and commodity groups
  • local humane societies
  • the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  • other ministries, such as the:
    • Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
    • Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
    • Ministry of Natural Resources

AWS aims to advance its mandate by:

  • strengthening animal welfare
  • enabling effective and efficient enforcement
  • building public trust by being responsive, accountable and transparent

Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre (1-833-9-ANIMAL)

All complaints regarding animals in distress or being neglected are addressed by AWS through the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre. Reporting to the call centre ensures prompt and appropriate triaging.

The call centre is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and was established for anyone to call if they think an animal is:

  • injured
  • in pain
  • sick
  • suffering
  • abused
  • lacking proper care, water, food or shelter

When a call is received, the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre gathers relevant information such as the location and date of the incident, the alleged condition of the animal and the caller’s contact information. If the matter falls within AWS’ purview, an incident ticket is created, and the information is reviewed by AWS to determine appropriate next steps, such as conducting an inspection or investigation. AWS may contact the caller for additional information, if required.

The Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre handled 39,389 calls in 2023.

Animal welfare inspectors

The PAWS Act gives animal welfare inspectors specific powers to enforce the Act, educate animal owners on their obligations, carry out inspections and conduct investigations. To help promote and enforce compliance, inspectors have access to several compliance and enforcement tools such as issuing orders, taking possession of an animal that is in distress, and/or laying charges. Inspectors use discretion to determine when to focus on education and awareness and/or when to apply enforcement tools such as issuing orders or laying charges. The PAWS Act also provides police officers and First Nations constables with authority to enforce specified portions of the Act, particularly in the case of an emergency such as entering a hot car with an in-distress animal inside it.

The inspectorate team includes veterinarians and inspectors who specialize in livestock, zoos, aquariums, and equines.

Animal welfare inspectors are authorized peace officers and are designated as provincial offences officers under the Provincial Offences Act.

Animal Care Review Board

The Animal Care Review Board is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. The Animal Care Review Board resolves disputes and conducts hearings regarding animal welfare issues under the PAWS Act. This includes appeals of orders, notices of removal, notices that a decision has been made to keep an animal in care and bills (called statements of account) for costs associated with removing animals, such as food, transportation, veterinary care or sheltering.

PAWS Act enforcement: 2023 facts and figures

The AWS team is having a significant and positive impact on the welfare of animals throughout Ontario.

Key facts and figures
Item Number
Calls received at Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre 39,389
Inspections or investigations conducted 22,525
Animals removed from situations of distress or seized as evidence for an investigation 2,893
Notices issued (e.g., to notify owner or custodian of an animal removal, notice of non-compliance, notice of revocation or change of orders, etc.) 8,369
Orders made 3,447
Charges laid 296

Note: Not all matters reported to the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre fall within AWS’ purview and are triaged to the appropriate jurisdictional body when necessary. For example some calls may be triaged to the police service of jurisdiction or municipal by-law enforcement.

Inspections and investigations by animal type:

  • companion animals: 21,257
  • livestock: 647
  • equine: 570
  • zoos and aquariums: 51

In 2023, 296 charges were laid for offences under the PAWS Act against individuals and corporations. Charges are prosecuted in accordance with the Provincial Offences Act.

Costs of care

Animal welfare inspectors may remove animals, if necessary, to relieve them of distress. When an animal is removed and taken into AWS’ care, the owner or custodian of the animal is liable for expenses related to the removal and care, as well as any prescribed action taken in relation to the animal. Owners or custodians are responsible for paying the costs of housing and caring for an animal and receive a statement of account to do so.

Prominent initiatives

In 2023, AWS continued to focus on strengthening animal welfare, enabling effective and efficient enforcement and building public trust.

Specialized Compliance Unit

The Specialized Compliance Unit (SCU) was created to ensure organizations and individuals comply with the PAWS Act. This unit developed a streamlined inspection process allowing AWS to continue being a modern regulator by conducting large-scale inspections of commercial enterprises and breeders. It works to enhance facility standards, strengthen animal welfare and expand accountability, enforcement and transparency.

Inspectors of the SCU follow a standard set of protocols across industries to conduct proactive educational, onsite inspections. During this time, the inspectors meet with management and staff, tour facilities, review records, make observations and may take samples when necessary, in accordance with the PAWS Act.

If non-compliance is found during an inspection, inspectors may take various actions such as issuing a notice of non-compliance or an order or refer the case for an investigation.

Major investigation management

In 2023, a dedicated major investigation management team was established with responsibility for cases that involve the serious concerns under the PAWS Act. Such cases are complex, require multiple follow-ups, involve large numbers of animals, and require extensive coordination with external partners, including police. They also often include court-orders or other judicially authorized actions. Complex investigative techniques and technical expertise are provided to deliver results in these major cases.

Veterinary services team

AWS established the veterinary services team made up of veterinarians, animal care specialists and veterinary technicians. This team provides expert advice on a variety of AWS’ priorities.

The team provides front-line support to inspectors by attending sites with them or providing virtual advice about animal health, distress and animal care requirements. They also develop expert reports and provide testimony for Animal Care Review Board cases and prosecutions.

The veterinary services team plays a critical role in addressing the needs of animals in AWS care. The team is an essential link between the veterinarians providing care for the animals, the shelters housing the animals and the inspector who is managing the case.

In addition, the team provides training to inspectors in animal health, disease and distress and supports initiatives where veterinary expertise is needed. Furthermore, they maintain key partnerships with stakeholders such as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, the University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College and commodity organizations.

Amendments to the PAWS Act and regulations

Two significant PAWS Act legislative changes occurred in 2023. All AWS inspectors received training on the new requirements so they could implement them once the regulations came into force.

Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023

On June 8, 2023, the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act received Royal Assent. The legislation included amendments to the PAWS Act to help improve animal welfare, strengthen compliance, and enhance enforcement capabilities. The amendments:

  • create the authority to exclude persons (except counsel) for interview during inspections (i.e., prevent select persons from being present at the interview and potentially influencing the individual's responses)
  • clarify that unpaid statements of account can be collected as a debt to the Crown

Additional amendments to the PAWS Act came into force on October 1, 2023, along with regulations related to “Service of Documents” and “Ministerial Prescriptions” under the PAWS Act. These changes:

  • extended appeal and animal forfeiture periods
  • set out additional methods of service and effective dates for serving an order, notice or statement of account
  • set out a new requirement to report change in ownership or custody of an animal that is subject to an order

The remaining amendments to the PAWS Act included in the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act came into force on January 1, 2024.

Bill 159, Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act, 2024

On December 4, 2023, the government introduced legislation to help stop unethical dog breeding operations, often known as puppy mills. On June 6, 2024, Bill 159, the Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act, 2024, received Royal Assent and was passed into law. Bill 159 included amendments to the PAWS Act to help deter the operation of puppy mills and improve the health and welfare of dogs bred in Ontario.

Some amendments to the PAWS Act that came into effect on Royal Assent, and are now currently in force, include:

  • new statutory prohibitions on activities associated with operating a puppy mill, specifically failing to isolate a dog with a contagious disease from other animals and failing to keep a dog’s environment clean
  • a prohibition on assisting a puppy mill by providing material support such as property
  • the creation of new minimum fines associated with the prohibitions, and
  • a new offence that ensures a minimum amount of $25,000 is imposed on anyone who causes or permits a dog to be in distress or exposes a dog to a risk of distress as part of a commercial breeding operation

Other amendments that expand the government’s authority to set record-keeping requirements for dogs in regulation, prohibit breeding under certain circumstances, and regulate when a puppy can be separated from its mother will come into force at a later date, pending the development of associated regulations.

Outreach and education initiatives

In 2023, focused on increasing awareness of the PAWS Act, promoting the standards of care for all animals, and informing the public about reporting animal welfare concerns. The team participated in 41 public events and industry trade shows across Ontario, including:

  • Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show
  • Toronto’s Christmas Pet Show
  • the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians Conference
  • the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
  • the London Swine Conference

AWS also released several public education resources, including:

  • ‘Basic Standards of Care’ pamphlet, providing an overview of the basic standards of care for all animals covered under the PAWS Act
  • ‘Standards of Care for Dogs Kept Outdoors’ booklet, providing a summary of the standards of care and requirements for dogs kept and tethered outdoors
  • a booklet with information about the PAWS Act and AWS, including inspector powers, appeals and complaints, offences, and penalties, who to call when an animal needs help, and what happens after calling 1-833-9-ANIMAL
  • ‘Livestock Guardian Dogs and Dogs Housed with Livestock’ booklet, providing a summary of how the standards of care for dogs kept outdoors apply to livestock guardian dogs and dogs housed with livestock

In addition, AWS collaborated with stakeholders on the development of resources to enhance knowledge of the PAWS Act and AWS and created materials for children to enhance their knowledge of responsible pet ownership.

Engagement with commodity groups

Commodity groups represent and advocate on behalf of agricultural commodity producers and play an important role in promoting animal welfare in the agricultural sector.

In 2023, AWS continued to work with commodity groups during inspections and investigations as well as collaborated on the development of Memorandums of Understanding. These agreements help clarify the role of commodity groups working with AWS in the enforcement of the PAWS Act, as well as increase opportunities for information sharing, field training, and greater communication. New Memorandums were signed with Ontario Pork, Sheep Farmers of Ontario and Beef Farmers of Ontario.

Animal disease response planning

AWS also plays an important role in animal disease response planning in support of animal welfare. In 2023 there was a focus on African swine fever (ASF) to ensure awareness and preparedness in the event of a potential outbreak. ASF is a viral disease that infects pigs and hogs. While it is not a human, public health or food safety risk, it often results in rapid death of the affected animal and can quickly spread among the pig population. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency remains the lead agency responsible for responding to a potential outbreak.

While ASF has not been detected in North America, Ontario has been a leader in developing response plans should they be needed. The AWS response plan includes procedures for deployment and communications around inspections under the PAWS Act, recognizing that Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials would be coordinating the broad animal health response activities related to affected sites. All AWS inspectors have received essential training in ASF, incident management and emergency management to understand the importance and principles of effective response coordination.

AWS also continues to work with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness to support animal welfare during outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

AWS inspectors are equipped with the appropriate biosecurity tools and equipment and follow industry-standard biosecurity practices during regular operations. The team has established comprehensive biosecurity guidelines for conducting investigations and inspections, which include the required biosecurity equipment, washing and sanitation practices, isolation requirements, and guidelines on actions to be taken before, during and following an inspection or investigation in order to safeguard animal health in Ontario.

Contact us

To send any general questions or comments about animal welfare, please contact:

animalwelfareservices@ontario.ca

Important: Do not submit animal-related complaints or concerns to this email address.

Please call 1-833-9-ANIMAL if you believe an animal is in distress or being neglected.