{"id":17542,"date":"2014-04-29T15:14:18","date_gmt":"2014-04-29T19:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kb.webitgarage.ca\/over-40-000-quebec-citizens-demand-a-revision-of-the-legal-status-of-animals-incoming-justice-minister-called-upon-to-update-the-civil-code\/"},"modified":"2018-06-20T16:40:04","modified_gmt":"2018-06-20T20:40:04","slug":"over-40-000-quebec-citizens-demand-a-revision-of-the-legal-status-of-animals-incoming-justice-minister-called-upon-to-update-the-civil-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spca.com\/en\/over-40-000-quebec-citizens-demand-a-revision-of-the-legal-status-of-animals-incoming-justice-minister-called-upon-to-update-the-civil-code\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 40 000 Quebec Citizens Demand a Revision of the Legal Status of Animals: Incoming Justice Minister called upon to update the Civil Code"},"content":{"rendered":"

Montreal, April 29 2014 \u2013 Since its launch on January 22nd, over 40\u00a0000 individuals have signed the Animals are not things<\/i><\/a> manifesto. The manifesto, which is supported by the Montreal SPCA<\/a>, calls for a reconsideration of the legal status of animals in the Civil Code of Quebec. Currently, our Civil Code considers animals to be moveable property, no different from a toaster or a chair. The act of hurting or abusing an animal is viewed as tantamount to the destruction of property.<\/p>\n

The manifesto demands that animals be granted a legal status distinct from that of inanimate objects, and that takes into account their capacity to feel pleasure and pain \u2013 to grant them, in short, the status of sentient beings.<\/p>\n

France recently made a step forward in this direction. On April 15th<\/sup>, in response to a petition launched by the animal protection organization “Fondation 30 million d\u2019amis<\/a>“, a new category was created in the French Civil Code. Whereas they were previously classified as moveable property, animals in France are now classified as \u201cliving, sentient beings\u201d, a status that animals in Quebec are yet to be afforded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe manifesto\u2019s success in Quebec clearly shows that it is high time for this province to address the question of animals\u2019 legal status,\u201d said Me Sophie Gaillard, Lawyer and Campaigns Manager for the Montreal SPCA Animal Advocacy Department. \u201cWe are calling on St\u00e9phanie Vall\u00e9e, the new Minister of Justice, to ensure a debate on this issue takes place at the National Assembly, and to initiate the necessary reforms.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Media contact<\/strong>: Anita Kapuscinska, Media Relations Coordinator, Montreal SPCA, 514-226-3932, or anitak@spca.com<\/p>\n

For more information about the Montreal SPCA, please visit our website at www.spca.com<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

About the Montreal SPCA: The SPCA was the first humane society in Canada, founded in 1869. Guided by the humane ethic, it is the mission of the Montreal SPCA to:<\/em><\/p>\n