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Quebec Bill would declare animals sentient
#1
I realize much can go wrong between a bill being introduced and it finally becoming law, but it is a big step that it was introduced.

Quebec is home to many fur farms and puppy mills. This would change everything. Animals would have to be treated well and there are some good fines to back it up. There could even be jail time for offenders.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/q...-1.3102399

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/quebec-bill...-1.2408761

This is a story to watch. If Quebec can do this then why not other Canadian Provinces. Why not other countries.
What will this mean for how we treat farm animals?
Factory farming violates the whole concept of sentience.

I hope the bill can pass.
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Catherine

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#2
Yes, let us all hope that the bill gets through OK. It is a step in the right direction. There are some shortcomings in the provisions, e.g. that imprisonment is only on option for a repeat offender and farms are excluded. I noted this section from one of the articles:

" But farm animals don't get the same protection as pets. They must be treated "in accordance with generally recognized rules," the bill reads.

That, says the head of animal advocacy for the SPCA in Montreal, means chickens, will still be allowed to be kept in enclosures no wider than a sheet of paper -- called battery cages -- for their entire lives."

However, any change is better than no change, and this is great progress - especially for Quebec. Good news!

Probably, to stand a better chance of getting the bill through, compromises have had to be made, especially about farm animals. But if the end result is a lessening of animal suffering, then that is wonderful.
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#3
Generally good news and a step in the right direction. But these parts have me worried:

(Quoted from ctvnews.ca)
"Whatever the (food) industry does on a wide scale is exempt," said Alanna Devine.

She said the bill is unclear regarding the status of many wild and exotic animals and those found in zoos.

That, says the head of animal advocacy for the SPCA in Montreal, means chickens, will still be allowed to be kept in enclosures no wider than a sheet of paper -- called battery cages -- for their entire lives.

And....The bill has separate rules for pet owners, farmers with livestock, owners of pet shops, or people who sell animal-based products such as furs......what does this mean?
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#4
You are finding flaws in the bill that I had not noticed. Still it opens the door on animal sentience. Once some animals are sentient and protected under the law, it is a different battle to get the farm animals protected. It will be easier. They just have to prove that farm animals are the same as pet animals in their ability to feel and suffer.

It is baby steps, but they will still get us to where we want to be.
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Catherine

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