S-241Jane Goodall Act

What it does

• Expands Criminal Code offences from captive cetaceans to great apes, elephants and other listed non-domesticated animals. It bans owning, breeding, obtaining reproductive materials, and using them for entertainment, with set exceptions.
• Lets courts order changes to an animal's care after a conviction, including changing housing or social conditions, moving the animal, or transferring ownership to an animal welfare authority.
• Creates a process for the Governor in Council to add or remove species from the captive-animal schedules after consulting animal science, veterinary medicine, animal care and animal welfare groups.
• Requires permits under the wildlife trade law to import, export or move great apes, elephants and designated animals, including for non-harmful scientific research, captivity or captive breeding in the animal's best interests.
• Creates a permit system for eligible animal care organisations, such as sanctuaries and zoos, to keep, breed, import, export and transport listed animals, subject to ministerial terms, review and possible suspension.
• Deems certain zoos and aquariums to have permits or eligible-organisation status for great ape programs, and says the new rules must be read as upholding Indigenous rights.