Companion Animal Welfare Initiative (CAWI)

What is the purpose of CAWI?

To share information, resources, and expertise for the purpose of collaboration to improve the welfare of companion animals in Prince Edward Island. This includes, but is not limited to, developing and implementing educational strategies to raise public awareness about good companion animal care practices.

Members:

New Directions for Animal Welfare on PEI

• Did you know it is illegal to travel with dogs unsecured in the back of a pickup truck?
• Are you aware that any form of cosmetic surgery on animals (tail, docking, ear cropping, etc.) is prohibited?

These regulations —and more—are part of the new PEI Animal Welfare Act, passed into law in 2017. 

A presentation on the new Animal Welfare Act took place on November 20, 2018 at the Atlantic Veterinary College, to talk about how the Act impacts Islanders and their animals.

Guest speakers were:

• Dr. Alice Crook, Coordinator of the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at AVC, provided a “big picture” about animal welfare and the evolution of a distress-based model to a standard of care model in the Act.
• Mr. Dwight Thompson, PEI Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, spoke about the rights and responsibilities of owners.
• Mr. Mike Gilbertson, PEI Humane Society, focused on the role of the PEIHS and how the Society handles animal welfare complaints.

Public Awareness radio interviews and news articles

Pets & People
CBC's Island Morning monthly feature. Listen to interviews with Dr. Marti Hopson, PEI Veterinary Medical Association.

• Caring for Puppies - September 26, 2019
• Importing Your Dogs into Canada - May 2019
• Ticks - April 23, 2019
• Marijuana toxicity to dogs - April 2018
• Elderdog - March 2018
• Litterbox Issues - January 2018
• Winter Woes - December 2017
• Lyme Disease Update - March 2017
• Guinea Pigs - April 29, 2017
• Move over, Easter Bunny: 7 cool things about guinea pigs - April 16, 2017 (web article)
• P.E.I. vet students spend summer in the North to offer free clinics for pets - October 2016
• Dental Health Month - February 2016
• Holiday Hazards - December 2015
• Ticks and Lyme Disease - May 29, 2015
• Euthanasia - Spring 2015
• Cardiac Disease - Winter 2015
• Hyperthyroidism - Winter 2015
• Hypothyroidism - Summer 2014
• Diabetes part two - Winter 2014
• Diabetes part one - Winter 2014
• Pet Socialization - November 2, 2013
• First Aid for Pets and Taking your Pet to the Beach - July 22, 2013
• Summer heat and health tips - June 25, 2013
• Handling Wildlife Encounters - June 5, 2013
• Obese Pets - April 8, 2013
• Dental health - February 22, 2013
• Pets and Cancer - January 29, 2013
• Holiday Hazards - December 19, 2012
• Exotics & Wildlife - November 1, 2012
• Fleas - October 2, 2012
• Parasites - September 27, 2012

Animal Talk
Guardian newspaper monthly articles

• Buyer Beware - January 8, 2020
• Dog Park Etiquette 101 - July 24, 2019
• No such thing as a Beginner Pet - May 29, 2019
• Keeping it friendly - March 18, 2019
• Free Pets have Hidden Costs - January 21, 2019
• Resistant bugs affec pets - November 19, 2018
• Finches 'social, beautiful, fun' - September 17, 2018
• Tick Talk- Atlantic Canada in the Lyme-light - July 16, 2018
• Companion animal breeding - June 18, 2018
• Good canine citizens - March 19, 2018
• Counting community cats - January 15, 2018
• Is your horse ready for winter? - November 20, 2017
• Adopting southern rescue dogs - August 21, 2017
• Dealing with anxiety in dogs - July 17, 2017
• Pet safety makes for happy summer - June 19, 2017
• Improving animal protection - May 15, 2017
• Keeping cats safe, homed - April 2017
• Caring for senior canines - March 20, 2017
• New act bans cosmetic surgery - February 13, 2017
• Tiny, furry friends - January 16, 2017
• Articles from 2012-2016 (15 Mb)

For more information

Brian Matheson,  Director
Policy and Agriculture Resources Division
PEI Department of Agriculture & Land
Phone: (902) 368-5087
E-mail: bgmatheson@gov.pe.ca