Animal Welfare Charities and The CRA

Animal Welfare Charities and The CRA: "The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is in the midst of attempting to clarify its guidelines on how the more than 700 Canadian animal welfare charities can legally operate and continue to maintain their charitable status.

Until March 31, the agency is keeping its eyes and ears open for anyone who has a suggestion or comment on how it has worded its new proposed guidance for 'The Promotion of Animal Welfare and Charitable Registration'.

The proposal and its wording, which was released in February, has caused consternation and confusion for some sector organizations and animal welfare activists; many of whom feel the guidance is designed to stifle animal welfare charities' activities or to make it easier for the government to pull charitable status away from them.

The CRA proposal, like much of its documentation, is weighty and wordy, though interested readers will want to familiarize themselves with it and perhaps submit comments back to the agency."