Province To Tighten Marine Animal Regulations, Newstalk 1010 Learns
The province's Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister is set to announce new measures to strengthen animal welfare on Wednesday.
Newstalk 1010 has learned these will include legislative amendments to the OSPCA Act to improve enforcement, new regulations to protect marine mammals and exploring options for licensing of aquariums.
This comes after weeks of outcry from former trainers at Marineland who allege animals suffered after being subject to horrible conditions at the park. Former Marineland Trainer Phil Demers tells Newstalk 1010 he saw animals lose their sight, fur and skin due to faulty filtration systems.
Demers says he'd like the province and Ottawa ban importing wild animals into Canada and have a proper regulatory body to oversee and recognize problems at parks. He says it should have the authority to be able to get the parks to face criminal charges if need be and be able to threaten to shut an offender down.
An OSPCA investigation into the matter continues.