The Government of Saskatchewan is requesting public feedback on captive wildlife issues and policies as part of its review of The Captive Wildlife Regulations, 1982.
Captive wildlife includes the exotic pet trade, wildlife rehabilitation centres and zoos.
“Our goal is to modernize Saskatchewan’s captive wildlife standards to align with other Canadian jurisdictions and current animal welfare expectations,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said. “Stakeholders have already identified several areas for improvement, and this additional public consultation will provide us with more information to review and update the legislation.”
The review will focus on areas of highest risk to people and the environment, adopting industry-accepted best practices, decreasing the amount of administrative oversight and creating greater consistency in application of the regulations.
“Additional consultation is needed to understand the level of public support for the changes, especially in the pet sector,” Duncan said. “This feedback will help shape the content of the proposed captive wildlife regulations, and ensure they minimize risks to our natural environment and meet the needs of Saskatchewan residents and business owners.”
Captive native and exotic wildlife regulations are in place to address public concerns regarding safety, disease issues, invasiveness and potential adverse impacts to the province’s agricultural and native species.
The captive wildlife survey is available online at www.saskatchewan.ca/government/public-consultations/.
