416.860.0001

Our firm's Animal Law Practice Group provides expertise and experience in a broad range of risk management, litigation, and dispute resolution services, including:

1. Liability Issues

• Death or injury caused by or to pets, horses, or livestock
• Mortality, morbidity, surgical intervention, and euthanasia issues
• Occupiers' liability
• kennel liability
• Product liability
• Feed, drug, and toxicology liability
• Pet adoption and foster care issues
• Fisheries and fish farm exposures

2. Professional Liability Issues

• Malpractice claims involving veterinarians, animal health technicians, and veterinary clinics
• Equestrian coaches
• Racehorse trainers
• Pet groomers

3. Regulatory Matters

• College of Veterinarians of Ontario
• Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals
• Animal Care Review Board
• Ontario Racing Commission
• Animals for Research Act
• Canadian Council on Animal Care
• Municipal by-law issues

4. Insurance Coverage

• Liability and professional services coverage
• Policy, endorsement, exclusion, and competing wordings interpretation and dispute resolution

5. Horse Racing

• Racing, purchase and sale, and breeding agreements
• Ontario Racing Commission matters, including licensing issues
• Death or injury claims
• Syndication disputes

6. Riding and Boarding Stable Exposures

• Injuries to riders or horses
• Riding lesson agreements, including waivers and releases
• Horse purchase and sale agreements
• Boarding stable agreements, including liens
• Riding Horse Safety Act issues

 7. Farming and Animal Husbandry Issues

• Livestock liability and property claims
• Farm business claims
• Bloodstock issues
• Equipment failures
• Feed contamination
• Environmental liability, including noise, air, soil, and water contamination
• Artificial fertilizer and pesticide issues
• Fire safety and compliance

8. Animal Research

• Animal research facility and Animals for Research Act issues
• Animal welfare and ethical concerns
• Media training
• Liaison with regulators, including provincial inspectors and Canadian Council on Animal Care
• Policy development
• Import/export of research animals
• Employment issues

9. Transportation

• Claims involving transportation of horses or livestock by road, air, and water
• International transportation of animals, including regulatory and import/export requirements

10. Workplace Safety

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board claims
• Occupational Health and Safety Act issues

11. Employment

• Employment contracts for employees of veterinary clinics, riding and boarding stables, racing operations, and farms
• Employment Standards Act, wrongful dismissal, and constructive dismissal issues for employers
• Human rights issues, including hiring, duty to accommodate, harassment, and termination for employers

12. Family law

• Custody and ownership disputes involving pets
• Visitation rights involving pets

13. Media relations and crisis planning

• Provide training and assistance to persons or institutions facing emotionally charged issues involving animals
• Dealing with the media
• Preparation of press releases

• Martin Smith

  613-566-5970

  msmith@mccagueborlack.com