Veterinarians in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia are now required to report possible cases of animal abuse, neglect and cruelty under changes to the Animal Protection Act, reports the ChronicleHerald. The law is similar to the one that requires doctors to report suspected cases of child abuse.
Prior to the changes in the law, pets were considered “personal information” of the owners, and thusly regarded as private. As a result, veterinarians may have had to risk court reprisals from owners, said Kristin Williams, executive director of the Nova Scotia SPCA. “This is a much-needed, much-improved part of the legislation,” she continued.
