New Space Requirements for Enclosures

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PIJAC Canada has been keeping close watch on research and regulations from around the country and the globe which focus on healthy environments and enclosures for pets. In the early 2000’s PIJAC Canada worked closely with government regulators and Canadian animal care agencies to develop Recommended Space Requirements for pets kept in a retail environment. This year we participated an exercise with the Quebec government to review their regulations and as a result have updated our own in order to provide a more comprehensive guidelines.

Below are the changes that were made:

Recommended space requirements per cage in a retail environment (birds)

  • General considerations – Minimum space requirements
    • Point b) and d) have been added
    • Point c) has been modified
  • Density factors in a pet retail establishment (chart)
    • Cockatoo + 45 cm length (area increase for one bird and additional birds)
    • Macaw + 50 cm length (area increase for additional birds)
    • Caique, Pionus or Senegal less than 30 cm in length (area increase for additional birds)

Recommended space requirements per cage in a retail environment (small mammal)

  • General considerations – Minimum space requirements
    • Point d) have been added
  • Density factors in a pet retail establishment (chart)
    • Mice and dwarf hamsters (area increase for additional animals)
    • Hamsters and gerbils (area increase for additional animals)
    • Rats, degus and hedgehogs (area increase for one animal and additional animals)
    • Ferrets and chinchillas (area increase for additional animals)

Recommended space requirements per cage in a retail environment (reptile)

  • General considerations – Minimum space requirements
    • Point c) has been added
  • Density factors in a pet retail establishment (chart)
    • The table has been completely modified to improve comprehension of the required dimensions for each type of species.

For those businesses who have completed our Best Management Practices Program for Retail Stores from PIJAC Canada, and who have revised and followed the above changes, you are already compliant. Access to all six pet category documents can be found via the Resources page on our website.

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