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SASKATCHEWAN ELK RANCHER FINED A TOTAL OF $69,000 FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE HEALTH OF ANIMALS ACT

On January 20, 2005, Erick Rodney Alsager, Idanell Korner Ranch and 587214 Saskatchewan Ltd. were convicted in Saskatchewan Provincial Court on eight counts of violating the Health of Animals Act and Regulations. Total fines of $69,000 were assessed by the court for a variety of offences that included the movement of animals without a permit, breach of quarantine orders and the obstruction of Inspectors.

The accused were convicted as a result of inspections and investigations carried out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) beginning in December 2001 and continuing until October 2002. It was determined by the CFIA that the accused had physically moved 36 elk animals onto a premise that had previously been declared an infected place without permission to do so. The court also found that the accused subsequently breached a CFIA order by allowing the animals to co-mingle with others present on the ranch thereby breaching the conditions of a quarantine. It was also proven that CFIA staff were obstructed by the accused in their efforts to conduct routine periodic inspections of the quarantined animals.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for enforcing a variety of legislation including the Health of Animals Act and Regulations in order to deliver inspection and related services that contribute to improving the overall integrity of the food safety, consumer protection, plant protection and animal health systems.

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