BEACONSFIELD – A Beaconsfield anti-cruelty bylaw is being championed by animal rights activists for being a model for the province.
Last month, Beaconsfield’s city council passed a series of zoning regulations and bylaws that called for steep fines at the municipal levels.
“The big change is thinking of animals as sentient beings, not property,” said Karen Messier, a Beaconsfield city councillor
The laws stipulate fines, ranging from $100 to $7,500, will be distributed for various infractions like leaving a dog in a hot car or tethered outside.
On top of the animal cruelty point, the centrepiece of the legislation makes the sale of animals illegal in Beaconsfield.
Currently, there’s only one pet shop in the city, but it only sells equipment.
Animal rights activists said the new laws are a model for other municipalities in the province.