Think Turtle Initiative, based in North Hastings, is promoting a petition in the House of Commons calling on the government to declare animals as sentient beings rather than property.
Petition e-6955 currently has over 19,600 signatures, including 6,500 from Ontario.
The petition contends that animals have conscious experiences and feelings.
Kelly Wallace from Think Turtle said if animals are deemed as sentient beings, it would effect animal welfare policy moving forward.
The petition applies to all animals, including companion animals, and Wallace said legislation introduced as a result of this petition could help with advocacy work that Think Turtle does.
Wallace said Think Turtle tries to raise awareness to prevent people from keeping animals as pets that are not meant to be domesticated.
“People don’t understand that, you know, they’re just thinking about the short term, like, oh wow, it’d be so nice and so cool to have a snapping turtle as a pet, even though it’s illegal. But they don’t think about down the road and the impact it has to the actual turtle itself,” she said.
The last day to sign the petition is March 17.
Elizabeth May is the sponsoring MP who will present the petition to the House of Commons once it is closed for signatures.
The government then has 45 days to respond.
