Tiny the Shih Tzu is shown in a photo released on Friday Dec. 14, 2012. A Victoria man accused of abusing a dog has been fined after pleading guilty to failing to provide necessities to an animal.Wendy Nesbitt/The Canadian Press
A spokesman for the Regina Humane Society says there is truth to a new report that suggests Saskatchewan has some of the weakest animal abuse laws in the country.
Don Simons says the province's laws are old and outdated and were brought in primarily to deal with how people raise livestock.
Earlier this week, the Animal Legal Defense Fund issued its annual report card, which put Saskatchewan in 10th place out of 13 provinces and territories.
Simons says all animals are covered by the same law in the province, which fails to recognize that what would be proper food and shelter for cattle is completely different from what it would be for a kitten.
Simons says under Saskatchewan law, a family pet could be left outside in the extreme hot or cold elements for days, as long as they have food and water and some sort of shelter.
He says that's not providing adequate protection for dogs and cats.