Tipsheet

'This Is Evil': Canadian Government Announces What They Can Do to Protesters' Pets

After announcing the drastic measures that will be taken against Freedom Convoy protesters, the Canadian government said Thursday that the demonstrators’ animals may be confiscated as well.

“Attention animal owners at demonstration: If you are unable to care for your animal as a result of enforcement actions, your animal will [be] placed into protective care for 8 days, at your cost,” the Ottawa By-law account tweeted. “After 8 days, if arrangements are not made, your animal will be considered relinquished.”

If a protester were arrested under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Emergencies Act, for example, and detained for more than eight days, the person’s animal would be taken. The same could be said for an individual who had their bank accounts frozen thanks to the government’s heavy-handed crackdown, and could not care for their animal.

What happens after the animal is “considered relinquished” is uncertain.