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Canada’s Farm Animal Welfare Infrastructure

Canada’s "Farm Animal Welfare Infrastructure" is a network of responsible organizations within Canada to address animal welfare issues. The broad spectrum of farm animal welfare issues includes intensive livestock farming practices, humane transportation, humane slaughter, biotechnology, and others.

A Summary of Canada’s Legislative and Voluntary Animal Welfare Standards

A. HUMANE TRANSPORTATION OF ALL ANIMALS IN CANADA

Name of Act: Health of Animals Act (Federal)

The Health of Animals Regulations Part XII defines conditions for the humane transportation of all animals in Canada by all modes of transport. These regulations:

• prohibit overcrowding, transportation of incompatible animals in the same stall, transportation of animals unfit to travel; and;
• specify appropriate conditions for loading and unloading of animals, adequate feeding and watering regimes, maximum transit times, minimum rest periods, bedding requirements and states that animals that become compromised while in transit must not be transported beyond the closest area where they can receive proper medical care.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces the regulations through routine inspections, unannounced site inspections and response to reports of non-compliance.

B. HUMANE HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER OF FOOD ANIMALS

Name of Act: Meat Inspection Act (Federal)

Sections 61 to 80 of the Meat Inspection Regulations set standards for the humane handling and slaughter of food animals in federally inspected slaughter facilities. Canadian Food Inspection Agency inspectors stationed at every federally registered slaughter establishment monitor the handling and slaughter of food animals.

C. PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Name of Act: Criminal Code of Canada (Federal)

Section 446 of the federal Criminal Code prohibits anyone from wilfully causing animals to suffer from neglect, pain, or injury. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or police officers investigate complaints of noncompliance.

D. PROVINCIAL LEGISLATION ON ANIMAL WELFARE

Each province has legislation concerning animal welfare. Provincial legislation and regulations tend to be general in scope, covering a wide range of animal welfare interests. Some provinces have regulations governing specific aspects or pertaining to certain species.

E. RECOMMENDED NATIONAL VOLUNTARY CODES OF PRACTICE FOR THE CARE AND HANDLING OF FARM ANIMALS

Recommendations for farm animal welfare are contained in the voluntary Recommended Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals. These codes were drafted under the auspices of the Canadian Agri-Food Research Council by producer organizations. They are reviewed by committees of producers, veterinarians, transporters, researchers, processors, government regulators, and representatives of animal care and welfare organizations. The codes provide humane care and handling standards for farm animals during all life stages, from the place of origin through to slaughter.

Recommended codes of practice have been produced for pullets, layers, and spent fowl, chickens, turkeys and breeders, ranched mink, ranched fox, dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, sheep, farmed deer, veal calves, goat, bison, and horses. The Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals during Transport is found here.

F. NON-GOVERNMENT ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS

Additionally, a number of Canadian non-government organizations have animal welfare mandates and assume responsibility for various aspects of animal welfare. The roles of the principal groups are described below.

Canadian Agri-Food Research Council

Through its Expert Committee on Farm Animal Welfare and Behaviour, Canadian Agri-Food Research Council identifies animal welfare research needs, indicates by priority their seriousness and predicted impact, and recommends appropriate actions and research concerning current animal welfare issues. Membership on the committee includes representatives of national producer and other animal industry organizations, representatives of national animal welfare organizations, representatives of relevant professional and government bodies, and individual members appointed for their expertise in farm animal welfare, farm animal ethology, or both. The Canadian Agri-Food Research Council provides leadership in coordination and networking of research and technology transfer and acts as a catalyst for research prioritization in Canada.

Canadian Federation of Humane Societies

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, a registered charity, is a national organization representing and speaking on animal welfare issues on behalf of more than one hundred provincial and local humane societies, Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and branches, and their more than four hundred thousand members. The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies works with governments, industry, animal rights groups, and the public to improve conditions for all animals including livestock, wildlife, research animals, and pets.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has identified animal welfare as one of its three top priorities. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Committee addresses a wide range of issues relating to animal welfare and veterinary involvement. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has produced a series of animal welfare position statements (e.g. non-ambulatory animals, euthanasia, electro-immobilization), as well as general position statements (e.g. dentistry on animals, biologics, microchip implants) on a number of current issues.

Canadian Council on Animal Care

The Canadian Council on Animal Care is the national organization responsible for overseeing the care and use of animals involved in Canadian science. The Canadian Council on Animal Care sets and maintains science-based standards for the physical and psychological well-being of these animals. The Canadian Council on Animal Care conducts assessments of institutions using animals for research, teaching, and testing at least every three years, with follow-up visits where necessary. Institutions assessed by the Canadian Council on Animal Care and found to be in compliance with Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines and practices are awarded a Certificate of Good Animal Practice. This certificate provides clear evidence that an institution meets the recognized standard for animals used in research, teaching, and testing whether they be laboratory animals, farm animals or wildlife.

Farm Animal Care

In the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, farm animal industry-driven organizations promote responsible humane animal care within their animal agriculture and food industries. One of their activities is to provide peer counselling to fellow producers and to report serious cases of neglect or abuse to the appropriate authorities such as the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. As information and education providers, and through other proactive efforts, they bring about changes to legislation and practices relating to farm animal treatment. Farm animal care groups are also involved in the support and initiation of farm animal welfare research.

Standing Committee on the Humane Handling of Animals

The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, RCMP Livestock Section, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency sit on this committee. Its objectives are to develop interagency liaison and cooperation and to discuss, evaluate and cooperatively address current and evolving animal welfare issues in British Columbia.

Ontario Humane Transportation Working Group

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ontario Farm Animal Council a producer organization, a livestock trucking company, and a meat processing company form this working committee. Its objectives are to identify and to work cooperatively in addressing issues pertaining to humane transportation of farmed animals.

Canadian Farm Animal Care Trust

This organization is committed to the development of humane rearing and slaughtering practices of farm animals used for human consumption, and to the education of the Canadian public relative to current and alternative farm animal production systems.

Animal Livestock Protection System

This recently formed group coordinates the activities of the Alberta Farm Animal Care Association, the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture to ensure the humane treatment of animals. The Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are considered the enforcement arm of Animal Livestock Protection System.

Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada

The objectives of this organization are a) to promote education and research into specific animal welfare problems, b) to prevent cruelty to and encourage consideration for all animals, c) to encourage and assist in enforcement of all laws enacted for the protection of animals, d) to support in general the objectives of provincial humane societies, and e) to assist in the establishment, development, and support of any organization with objectives similar or complementary to the aforesaid.

Research/Educational Institutions

The University of Guelph, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Prince Edward Island have Animal Welfare Centres/Programs. These centres carry out research and education related to animal welfare, train graduate students in the conduct of animal welfare research, and provide advice and intellectual leadership on current issues to animal users and the public.

Please note : The links below may not be available in french

CANADIAN LEGISLATION CONCERNING FARM ANIMAL WELFARE