TORONTO - The legislation that was supposed to give Ontario the toughest animal protection laws in Canada isn't tough enough, doesn't properly fund enforcement and could end up charging farmers for routine activities like castrating animals, critics said Thursday.

While the governing Liberals say the proposed legislation is strict by slapping animal abusers with fines, jail terms and a lifetime ban on owning pets, a growing chorus of critics say the law doesn't apply to wildlife and doesn't give the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals enough money to catch abusers.

"There are people in our society who, for whatever reason, have done some pretty cruel things to animals, and we need legislation to deal with that," said New Democrat Gilles Bisson. "Does this legislation do that? Partly. But it doesn't go to the extent that some in the communities who are interested in animals and cruelty to animals would like us to go."

The proposed legislation requires veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse, makes animal cruelty a provincial offence and gives the Ontario SPCA a budget boost of $400,000 along with the right to inspect a property -- other than a home -- where they believe an animal is in danger.

After being criticized for having the most lax animal protection laws in the country, the governing Liberals introduced legislation overhauling the 90-year-old Animal Protection Act, which they boasted will bring the province from "worst to first."

"When you are walking a dog down the street, he doesn't look up to his owner and say, 'Are you Conservative or Liberal or NDP?"' said Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci. "All he wants is to ensure that he has a loving owner who wants the protect him."

"There is no question" this legislation will do just that, Bartolucci said.

But the proposed bill is drawing fire from all sides -- from some who worry it doesn't protect enough animals, and others who say farmers could end up being fined or jailed for normal procedures.

New Democrat Peter Kormos said the bill doesn't give municipalities or the OSPCA the kind of cash they need to enforce the law. Nor does it protect wildlife from cruelty or specifically lay out new regulations for roadside zoos that have long been targeted by animal rights activists, he added.

The proposed bill has to go through the scrutiny of public committee hearings so it can be strengthened, Kormos said.

"This is going to be a heated committee session," he said. "This is a very emotional issue for so many people."

While the Liberals say farmers are largely exempt from the law, Progressive Conservative Bill Murdoch said he's concerned the proposed law will land farmers in jail for causing "distress" to an animal.

"There are certain things we have to do as farmers that I'm sure would cause them distress," he said. "You have to castrate your animals, and I'm sure that's going to cause a bit of distress. There are horns you have to take off certain animals, and there's a lot of distress when you take those horns off, and there's blood."

The Liberals should have just acted swiftly to stiffen the penalties for abusing cats and dogs rather than wading into this "quagmire" of competing interests, Opposition Leader Bob Runciman said.

"But (Bartolucci) has opted to move ahead and he's stepped into the quagmire," he said.

Melissa Tkachyk, with the World Society for the Protection of Animals, said they are still waiting for the Liberals to include stronger regulation of roadside zoos as promised. But she said the Liberals deserve credit for trying to modernize animal protection for the first time since 1919.

"There are legitimate concerns being raised," Tkachyk said. "But I hope that doesn't detract attention from the fact that this is a significant milestone for animal protection in the history of Ontario."

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