The Ontario SPCA investigators provide frontline protection for animals across Ontario by responding to nearly 16,000 animal cruelty complaints each year and rescuing injured, abandoned and abused animals.
Empowered by the Ontario SPCA Act, Inspectors and Agents relieve animal suffering and distress by issuing orders, removing animals and laying charges under the Criminal Code of Canada where circumstances warrant. Under the Act, Inspectors and Agents have the same authority as police officers when enforcing animal-cruelty laws.
Because Inspectors currently have no right of inspection under the Act, the Ontario SPCA operates on a complaints basis. This means that you can help animals by being aware of at-risk animals in your community and by reporting cases of suspected animal cruelty to your nearest Ontario SPCA Community, police, Crime Stoppers or police.
| Help the investigating officer by providing as many details as possible, including the type of cruelty witnessed, the date of the incident, where it took place, and who was involved. All information remains confidential. For common signs of animal cruelty, click here. |
ANIMAL CRUELTY DIRECTORY
Find your local Ontario SPCA Community
Report cruelty to one of our more than 50 Ontario SPCA Community Investigations departments to help ensure a quick response to an urgent complaint or emergency. Click here.
Ontario SPCA Provincial Office
Contact the Ontario SPCA Provincial Office Hotline at 1-888-ONT-SPCA (668-7722). For an emergency after regular business hours dial extension 1.
If your complaint is NOT an emergency and general in nature, or you require additional information, email info@ospca.on.ca. Be sure to include full particulars of the complaint, the address and, if necessary, directions to the complaint, and telephone numbers where you can be reached to provide additional information. Information remains confidential. Every complaint will be investigated, however, due to the high volume it is simply not possible to reply to each complaint received.
Farm Animal Care Helpline Services
Contact the Farm Animal Care Helpline at 519-837-1326 to assist farmers who are unwilling or unable to maintain acceptable conditions for their farm animals (or if you are a farmer experiencing difficulties) and concerns will be relayed to the appropriate group, such as the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. The Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC) initiated the "farmer helping farmer service" in 1992. The non-profit organization represents some 40,000 Ontario farmers, as well as various agricultural groups and businesses.
All calls are strictly confidential but callers are asked to identify themselves and provide specific information. The commodity group in question is required to address the report and follow up with OFAC. In cases involving abuse, the information is forwarded to the Ontario SPCA for investigation.
Illegal Slaughter Hotline
If you have any information regarding meat-processing activities which you think may be illegal, please call the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food 24-hour, toll free hotline: 1-888-466-2372 ext. 6-4230.
An illegal slaughterhouse (also known as an abattoir) is a place that kills and sells animals for human consumption without being licensed by the Ontario or Canadian government. Without being regulated, animals may be butchered while still alive or killed causing pain and suffering. Conversely, licensed abattoirs are licensed and inspected by the provincial and federal governments. Inspectors monitor the slaughter of animals and each animal must be slaughtered in a manner which prevents suffering.
Suspicious activities that should be reported include: you are aware of someone slaughtering animals other than a licensed abattoir; hand-painted or hand-drawn signs advertising meat for sale from private houses and farms or on the side of the road; offers from farmers or others that they will kill an animal themselves and sell you the meat; and live animals in, or being brought into, grocery stores or restaurants.
