Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters

2 tragedies lead to creation of Quanto’s Law

October 18, 2013 By Kim Zarzour, Richmond Hill Liberal yorkregion.com  

They were repeatedly stabbed to death and deliberately run over, both brutally cut down while defending the public; now it appears their deaths may not have been in vain.

Quanto the dog and Brigadier the horse could have been forgotten heroes, but this week’s speech from the throne promises their bravery will be honoured on a national level. The Governor General of Canada announced Wednesday the federal government’s intention to bring forward Quanto’s Law, legislation that would protect animals who work in law enforcement. The legislation was first brought forward in a private members bill last May by Richmond Hill MP Costas Menegakis. “It’s so tragic. We release these animals into dangerous situations and there’s no penalty for the criminals who hurt them,” he said.

Mr. Menagakis said he was inspired to introduce his bill, the Protection of Law Enforcement Animals Act, after a request, shortly after he took office, from Richmond Hill Councillor Lynn Foster. Ms Foster asked him to take on the issue, pushing for stronger animal protection laws, in response to the tragic death of Brigadier, the Toronto Police Service horse killed in the line of duty in 2006.

Known as the “gentle giant”, Brigadier was an eight-year-old Belgian cross who was deliberately run over by a criminal fleeing the scene. The horse took the brunt of the impact, protecting an officer who sustained broken ribs, neck, back and leg injuries. Brigadier suffered massive traumatic injuries and had to be shot and killed, for humanitarian reasons, on the street, by officers at the scene.

It was a heinous crime, Ms Foster said, but in Canada there is no mention of law enforcement service animals in the Criminal Code. “Purposefully killing a police dog, horse or other service animal comes with no additional charges,” she said, “unlike many states and countries that do protect their law enforcement service animals.” Cruelty to an animal is currently the strongest charge that can be laid, and it is at a judge’s discretion.

Mr. Menagakis’ bill, as originally proposed, would amend the Criminal Code to make it an offence to poison, injure or kill a law enforcement animal while it is accompanying a peace officer or public officer engaged in the execution of their duties.

Anyone who maliciously harms an animal in the line of duty could  be sentenced to up to five years in prison, fined up to $10,000, plus additional costs, he said.

“Quanto’s Law will honour the memory of Edmonton Police Service dog Quanto, Toronto Police Service horse Brigadier, and other law enforcement animals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” Mr. Menagakis said.

On Oct. 7, Quanto, a German shepherd, was stabbed to death as an Edmonton police constable tried to take down a man who had jumped from a stolen vehicle. Despite being stabbed, Quanto continued to hold onto the criminal because he was trained to protect the life of the officer, Mr. Menagakis said. “The dog knows the knife is dangerous, but he does not let go because he knows he has to protect his partner. That kind of loyalty is unbelievable.”

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies chief executive officer Barbara Cartwright applauded the news. “This is a positive step forward and acknowledges the value the dogs have in our society,” she said. “The animal cruelty section of the Criminal Code of Canada remains largely unchanged since it was enacted in 1892, when Queen Victoria was in power. “Our relationship with animals has changed dramatically in the last 121 years and it’s time that our laws reflect this.”

For Ms Foster — who announced her resignation this week and who worked quietly behind the scenes for years lobbying for police animal legislation — Quanto’s Law is “the icing on the cake of my political career”. Mr. Menagakis hopes all three parties will put politics aside and work together to make the bill law. “Their lives are put in peril every time they go out there,” he said. “I’m pleased that from something so tragic, something so good can happen.”