Recorded Webinars

Viewing of live and archived webinars requires approval. If you haven’t been in touch with our team to request access, please email us at contact@ncpac.ca.

Enregistrements des webinaires français

Module One: Introduction to Animal Cruelty Prosecutions

This session will provide participants with a working knowledge of the Criminal Code with regards to animal cruelty cases and a guideline with respect to charge approval, elements of the offence and sentencing options.

Participants will have the following knowledge after the webinar:

1. Know the appropriate sections of the criminal code to apply in animal cases
2. Factors to consider in charge assessment; likelihood of conviction and public interest
3. Explore offence dates and limitation dates
4. Identify the elements of offence
5. Outline the common defences
6. Sentencing options
7. Resources for finding animal cruelty precedents

NCPAC webinars are intended for crown prosecutors, veterinary professionals, and animal protection and enforcement professionals. To request approval to view a recorded version of this webinar, please contact us.

Module Two: Anatomy of an Animal Cruelty Case: Investigation, Evidence and Experts

This webinar aims to provide an overview of the investigation process and the practical tools to manage and present evidence. Animal cruelty cases have some unique differences to other types of criminal investigations and understanding those differences are key to successful prosecutions.

Participants will have the following knowledge after taking the course:

1. Who is responsible/has jurisdiction for investigating cases
2. Basic concept around steps involved in an investigation
3. Identify effective ways to present evidence
4. Understand what constitutes Distress/Pain/Suffering
5. Review how “unnecessary”, “suffering”, etc. have been interpreted in the courts
6. Basic format of the veterinarian report
7. Expert evidence in animal cruelty investigations

NCPAC webinars are intended for crown prosecutors, veterinary professionals, and animal protection and enforcement professionals. To request approval to view a recorded version of this webinar, please contact us.

Module Three: Animal Abuse as a Predictor and Indicator of Crime

The goal of this webinar is to provide overview of important factors involved in charge approval/prosecution of animal cruelty cases including links to violence, risk factors, abuse as predictor and indicator crime, public interest factors, youth statistics and types of abuse.

Participants will have the following knowledge after taking the course:

1. Appreciate the value of accepting an animal cruelty file
2. Understand the types of animal cruelty
3. Be able to state the core links between animal violence and human violence
4. Take the next steps to prosecute animal cruelty cases

NCPAC webinars are intended for crown prosecutors, veterinary professionals, and animal protection and enforcement professionals. To request approval to view a recorded version of this webinar, please contact us.

Module Four: Applying Provincial Animal Protection Law

This webinar is province-specific* and aims to provide participants with a working knowledge of the provincial legislation that governs animal cruelty and when it is more appropriate to pursue charges under provincial verses federal legislation.

Participants will have the following knowledge after taking the course:

1. Review the provincial legislation relevant to animal cruelty
2. Factors to consider in choosing to charge under the provincial act, the federal act or both
3. Tools to prosecute provincially
4. Disposition – civil custody issues (for BC webinar)

* Module 4 is only available for certain Canadian provinces. Webinars for additional provinces are currently in development.

Provincial modules now available:
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba 

NCPAC webinars are intended for crown prosecutors, veterinary professionals, and animal protection and enforcement professionals. To request approval to view a webinar, please contact us.