Animals in Quebec will be considered "sentient beings" instead of property under a bill tabled in the national assembly Friday.

Animals have biological needs, said Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis, whose legislation includes fines of up to $250,000 for those who are cruel to animals as well as jail time for repeat offenders.

Paradis said the bill will put Quebec more in line with Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia, which he noted have the strongest animal-welfare laws in the country.

The legislation states that "animals are not things. They are sentient beings and have biological needs."
Applies to domestic and farm animals.

Paradis said the act pertains to all domesticated and farm animals and certain wild animals.

Even goldfish don't escape the proposed rules. "If you have a goldfish you have to take care of it," he said. "Don't get a goldfish if you don't want to take care of it."