Summary

This bill amends The Animal Protection Act, 2018 to authorize the Minister of Agriculture to delegate enforcement powers to animal protection agencies through administrative agreements, create animal welfare inspector and chief officer positions, and establish a regulated schedule of seizure expenses and an appeals board for disputes over animal disposition and costs.

The bill restructures how Saskatchewan enforces animal welfare laws. The Minister of Agriculture can now sign contracts (up to five years, renewable) with organizations to carry out enforcement, including inspections, animal seizures, and euthanasia decisions. These contracts must be tabled in the legislature and include audited financial statements. The bill creates two new roles: animal welfare inspectors, who focus on education and follow-up rather than enforcement, and a chief officer who handles complaints about officer conduct under a new mandatory code of conduct. The bill standardizes what agencies can charge for seizing and caring for animals using a regulated fee schedule (specific amounts not in the bill), extends the time owners have to reclaim sale proceeds from 30 to 90 days, and requires unclaimed proceeds above a threshold to be returned to provincial revenue. An appeals board may be established by regulation to hear disputes over animal disposition and seizure costs. Veterinarians gain explicit authority to euthanize suffering animals when owners cannot be found promptly. The bill also allows agreements with First Nations for animal welfare enforcement on reserve lands.