Agricultural Law Netletter - Sunday, January 7, 2018

HIGHLIGHTS

* A Justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court acknowledged the standing of a British Columbia animal protection Association to bring a Court application to consider whether or not a British Columbia conservation officer had the authority to euthanize a bear cub under the British Columbia Wildlife Act. The Justice held that even though this authority was not expressly provided under the Act, the conservation officer did have the authority to do so long as the euthanization was consistent with the purpose of the Wildlife Act to manage wildlife. The Court considers, in some detail, the distinction between wild animals and domestic animals, and the authority of the Province of British Columbia to manage wildlife under the Wildlife Act. (Assn. for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals v. British Columbia (Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy), CALN/2018-001, [2017] B.C.J. No. 2560, British Columbia Supreme Court)