Transportation of Animals Program
Compromised Animals Policy

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Definitions
  • Compromised Animal
  • Non-Ambulatory Animal
• Applicable Legislation
• Handling of Non-Ambulatory Livestock on Arrival at Federally Inspected Slaughter Plants
  • General
  • Restrictions
  • Options for dealing with Non-Ambulatory Animals at the Plant
• Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Cancer Eye)
• Hobbled Cattle
• Stressed Hogs
• Guide to Assess Fitness for Transport
  • Do Not Transport! - Unfit
  • Transport with special provisions - Compromised
  • Special Provisions
  • What is meant by nearest suitable place?
• Lameness Descriptions Rendering Animals Compromised or Unfit for Transport

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Compromised Animals Policy

Introduction

This section refers to the handling of compromised animals from premises of origin through to final destination. The humane handling of animals in emergency situations is addressed separately in sections: Transportation Incidents Occurring or First Noticed at Federally Inspected Plants and Transportation Accidents or Incidents.

Definitions

Compromised Animal:

An animal with reduced capacity to withstand the stress of transportation, due to injury, fatigue, infirmity, poor health, distress, very young or old age, impending birth, or any other cause. Some compromised animals can be transported under certain conditions without being exposed to additional suffering. Others, such as non-ambulatory animals, animals with a body condition score indicating emaciation or weakness, or animals with severe lameness, would endure additional suffering during the transportation process and must not be transported except for veterinary treatment or diagnosis. This is true of any condition associated with pain that will be aggravated by transport.

The examples shown in Section Guide to Assess Fitness for Transport below are intended to provide further guidance. They do not comprise an exhaustive list of conditions that may be encountered. Inspectors who conduct inspections under the Transportation of Animals Program must know all of Part XII of the Health of Animals Regulations.

Non-Ambulatory Animal:

Non-ambulatory animal means livestock as defined in section 2 of the Health of Animals Regulations, or an animal of the cervid, camelid, or ratite species that is unable to stand without assistance or to move without being dragged or carried, regardless of size or age. Non-ambulatory animals are also called downers. This includes but is not limited to acutely split (ruptured pre-pubic tendon) animals, and animals requiring hobbles to assist in the healing of injuries or to prevent further injury.

Applicable Legislation

Under authority of the Meat Inspection Act, the Meat Inspection Regulations prohibit the handling of a food animal in a manner that subjects the animal to avoidable distress or avoidable pain (see section (1), 67(1)(2)). The Meat Inspection Manual of Procedures provides further guidance. Subsection 67 (6) of the Meat Inspection Regulations requires that if an operator or an inspector who is not an official veterinarian suspects, in the course of the ante-mortem examination or the ante-mortem inspection of a food animal, that the food animal shows a deviation from normal behaviour or appearance, the food animal shall be held and referred to an official veterinarian for a detailed inspection and instructions regarding its disposition.

Under authority of the Health of Animals Act, subsection 138(2) of the Health of Animals Regulations prohibits the transportation of an animal that by reason of infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue or any other cause cannot be transported without undue suffering during the expected journey. Non-ambulatory livestock transportation for purposes other than veterinary treatment or diagnosis, or in accordance with subsection 138(4) of the Health of Animals Regulations causes undue suffering and is therefore in contravention of subsection 138(2).

As required by subsection 138(4) of the Health of Animals Regulations, an animal that becomes non-ambulatory or otherwise unfit for transport while en route must be taken to the nearest suitable place at which it can receive proper care and attention.

The Health of Animals Regulations apply to all animals transported to any destination, including all slaughter plants. This policy is intended to provide direction and clarification to federal inspectors.

Handling of Non-Ambulatory Livestock on Arrival at Federally Inspected Slaughter Plants

General

Trucks arriving at a slaughter establishment with an unusually high number of injured or dead animals should be given priority for slaughter. The inspection, conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) staff stationed at the plant or the District Office, should focus on collecting the facts that contributed to the high rate of injury or death. As appropriate, refer to the Enforcement and Compliance Policy for further steps.

Restrictions

At the time of arrival of any non-ambulatory animal at a federally registered processing plant, the animal will be held in the truck. An inspector or company staff should immediately inform the responsible CFIA veterinarian of the animal's arrival. Barn personnel should be directed not to open the animal compartment until the veterinarian arrives, unless it becomes necessary to do so for animal welfare purposes such as unloading ambulatory animals or attending to a non-ambulatory animal. This permits the veterinarian to observe the conditions under which the non-ambulatory animal was transported. It also prevents those animals that want to crawl off from doing so, or from being encouraged to do so.

After completion of the physical examination of the animal, the CFIA veterinarian will complete an ante-mortem inspection card, CFIA/ACIA 1438, which should also note relevant factors such as the loading density of the animals while on the vehicle. The veterinarian monitors the unloading of ambulatory animals around the non-ambulatory individual, and the extent to which employees are allowed to assist an animal to rise. An effort should be made to ascertain the reason the animal became non-ambulatory.

The CFIA veterinarian should also document any observations that indicate probable non-compliance with the Health of Animals Regulations, such as inadequate bedding, overcrowding, or the existence of fresh wounds. Photographs should be taken of the animal on the vehicle if non-compliance is suspected. This inspection constitutes a Humane Transportation inspection and should be recorded and reported as such (see also: Tracking National Program Delivery-Tracking Reports).

It is strongly advised that all personnel at the plant who are involved in the handling of downer or crippled animals receive proper training in the handling of infirm or injured animals. In the case of CFIA inspection personnel, CFIA's Humane Transportation Training, Level 1, is a necessity. In the case of plant employees, a suitable industry training course provides the necessary background.

Options for dealing with Non-Ambulatory Animals at the Plant

Failure to meet any of the conditions outlined below would subject animals to injury or undue suffering, which is not in compliance with the Health of Animals Regulations, Part XII, or with the Meat Inspection Regulations, Part III.

Following ante-mortem inspection of the animal by the CFIA veterinarian, it will be at the veterinarian's discretion to decide on the disposition of the animal, based on humane considerations and on the presence of adequate facilities and competent personnel to protect the animal from additional suffering.

Other animals may be unloaded from a compartment that contains a non-ambulatory animal. Animals are not to be unloaded from other compartments through a compartment which contains a downer animal, unless no alternative exists and the animal is adequately protected, under the supervision of a CFIA inspector.

Option 1 - Euthanize on Truck:

The animal may be humanely killed on the truck, provided that either,

CFIA veterinary ante-mortem inspection is performed,
or
neither the carcass nor any part thereof will enter the human food chain.

The animal must be humanely killed on the truck, unless the conditions outlined for option 2 are in place. The CFIA veterinarian must be notified by the following day. This option is available even in the absence of CFIA, providing that the carcass is taken to the inedible area of the establishment.

Option 2 - Stun on Truck:

Option 2 is dependent on the availability of CFIA inspection. It is acceptable, following CFIA veterinary ante-mortem inspection, to either stun and bleed the animal out on the truck in a sanitary manner.

Certain exceptional situations can be best resolved through this option, such as

1. bleeding a small number of injured livestock on the truck at a destination plant following a livestock vehicle accident;
2. dealing with a non-ambulatory animal in a poorly accessible part of the vehicle, where an attempt to move the stunned animal would likely result in excessive delay from stunning to bleeding at the sticking area of the plant.

Or stun the animal on the truck and unload the unconscious live animal to the bleeding area.

The stunning method must be irreversible. The recommendation for the time interval between stunning and bleeding is less than one minute. This may be impracticable in the given situation, but all preparations to move the animal to the bleeding area as swiftly as possible must have been made prior to stunning. The animal and its parts must be identified until a carcass disposition is made.

For all options, if indicated by the case definition for suspect or surveillance cases, specimens are to be collected for rabies and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in accordance with the Protocol for the Collection, Fixation and Submission of BSE Specimens at Abattoirs Under Inspection by the CFIA. In the event of a suspect case of BSE or rabies, option 1 does not apply in the absence of a CFIA veterinarian.

From the time of arrival at the plant, the CFIA veterinarian and inspector are both responsible for collecting information and evidence in the event of possible subsequent enforcement action. If appropriate, the CFIA will conduct a follow-up investigation to decide whether enforcement action is necessary, in accordance with the CFIA Enforcement and Compliance Policy.

Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) (Cancer Eye)

The degree of compromise depends on the nature and extent of the lesion. Lesions can be characterized by their extent-from minimal tissue involvement through extensive facial/skill involvement.

SCC lesions can also be characterized by their condition. Neoplastic tissue can be infected, necrotic, parasitized (maggot infested) friable and/or bleeding. Once the animal is blind the extent of the lesion should factor less in how the animal is transported than should the actual condition of the lesion.

Stage 1

Description

• cancerous lesion affecting the eye
• eye is still intact

Assessment

• minimally compromised

Action

• receive treatment
• proceed directly to slaughter

Transport

• normal but with care

Stage 2

Description

• lesion has obliterated the eye
• confined to orbit region
• can see only from unaffected eye
• lesion may be similar to open wound
• highly vascular, friable, necrotic

Assessment

• compromised

Action

• proceed directly to slaughter*

Transport

• segregated or with other similarly compromised animals
• require more room

Stage 3

Description

• lesion has obliterated the eye
• has extended outside the orbit region
• now involves other osseous structures

Assessment

• compromised

Action

• proceed directly to slaughter*
• euthanasia my be considered

Transport

• segregated or with other similarly compromised animals
• require more room
• separate compartment

*Education to producers, buyers and transporters to encourage moving the animal during Stage 1 SCC, before the condition progresses.

Hobbled Cattle

Hobbles are used to prevent cows from kicking during milking and are also used as a means to assist in the recovery and healing of injured (e.g. ruptured pre-pubic tendon or split) and to prevent further injury. When hobbles are used for handler safety reasons they are left on the animal for fear of the handler being injured when an attempt is made to remove them. Hobbling cattle can be a beneficial adjunct to therapy for injured cattle.

The Health of Animals Regulations define a non-ambulatory animal as an animal of the bovine, caprine, cervid, camelid, equine, ovine, porcine or ratite species that is unable to stand without assistance or to move without being dragged or carried. The Regulations prohibit the loading of a non-ambulatory animal for purposes other than receipt of veterinary treatment or diagnosis. This includes but is not restricted to acutely split animals. The Regulations also state no person shall load or cause to be loaded on any railway car, motor vehicle, aircraft or vessel and no one shall transport or cause to be transported an animal (a) that by reason of infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue or any other cause cannot be transported without undue suffering during the expected journey.

Injured cattle that require hobbles must not be transported, as undue pain and suffering of hobbled cattle are likely to occur during loading, transportation and unloading.

In cases where hobbles have been placed on an animal for handler safety, they should ideally be removed before the animal is transported. The presence of hobbles significantly interferes with an animal’s ability to properly balance itself during transport. As a minimum, transport of such cattle requires special provisions which include, but are not limited to, transporting the animal to the nearest suitable place. A suitable place includes a veterinary hospital or a nearby slaughter facility. Auctions are not considered suitable places for any compromised animal. Other special provisions include but are not limited to extra bedding, loading in rear compartment of a low trailer, separation from other animals, placing in a pen with a familiar companion animal or other measures as appropriate. In this case an individual assessment needs to be made, taking all relevant factors associated with the shipment into consideration, in order to determine whether the animal is fit for transport, and if so, whether the transport conditions are suitable for the animal.

The fact that an animal is hobbled does not always necessarily render it unfit for transport, provided that it is not acutely split and it is able to stand without assistance and to move without being dragged or carried. However, a hobbled animal is always compromised and transportation must include special provisions as above.

Stressed Hogs

The transportation of stressed hogs poses serious animal welfare concerns. As a result of a variety of factors such as weather, transportation, temperature and rough handling, hogs can easily become stressed. Stressed hogs exhibit any combination of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty or open-mouth breathing, panting or gasping (dyspnea, tachypnea)
• Blotchy skin (irregular skin blanching and erythema)
• High body temperature (hyperthermia) T > 103 degrees Fahrenheit
• Reluctant to move (with no other visible abnormalities)
• Down
• Sudden death (with no other visible abnormalities other than open-mouth breathing, dyspnea, tachypnea)
• Trembling

Reluctance to move can be described as a hog that does not keep up with its herd mates, will not move when asked or will more very slowly and with great difficulty, and will be very stiff. These stressed hogs will often go down if prodded or forced to move.

Some stressed hogs will recover if given sufficient time. Others will continue to deteriorate, eventually dying from cardiac arrest.

Section 138 (2) of the Health of Animals Regulations prohibits the transportation and the loading and unloading of non-ambulatory animals. No person must load or cause to be loaded or transport or cause to be transported an animal that is non-ambulatory, except for veterinary treatment or diagnosis. Unloading a non-ambulatory animal before it has been stunned, or causing such an animal to be unloaded, is unacceptable and is a contravention of the Health of Animals Regulations.

Section 139 (2) of the Health of Animals Regulations prohibits the transportation and the loading and unloading of animals in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering.

Unloading of stressed ambulatory hogs can result in a worsened condition and even death. Stressed hogs, either ambulatory or non-ambulatory, that are trembling, blotchy in appearance, and gasping (dyspneic) must not be unloaded in a conscious state.

The use of the hog sled to unload un-stunned, non-ambulatory animals (including non-ambulatory stressed hogs) is prohibited. In the event a stressed ambulatory or non-ambulatory hog arrives at a slaughter plant or assembly yard, the animal must be protected from being trampled by other animals in the shipment. This may be achieved by halting the unloading process or by rerouting the other animals in the shipment.

Options available to regulated parties for handling stressed ambulatory or non-ambulatory hogs are as follows:

• Provide the animal with time to recover where it has been found, so that it can walk on its own and is no longer showing signs of stress.
• Euthanize the animal and dispose of the carcass as inedible.
• On arrival at a slaughter establishment where a veterinarian is available for ante mortem inspection, stun the animal where it lies and have it moved immediately to be bled and hung for evisceration.

It is important to ensure that stressed hogs are handled humanely at all times.

Guide to assess fitness for transport

Do Not Transport! - Unfit

• ** Unable to stand without assistance or to move without being dragged or carried.
• ** Animals that, after splitting, cannot walk, or suffer severe pain when walking, or require hobbles to stand or to prevent further injury. These are non-ambulatory animals.
• Fractured limbs
• Fractures to the pelvis
• Rupture of the pre-pubic tendon (splitting).
• Other fractures that considerably hamper mobility or are likely to cause severe pain when the animal is manipulated for loading or when it is being transported.
• Body condition score indicating emaciation and weakness.
• Dehydration
• Exhaustion
• Stressed hogs
• Shock, dying
• Suspected or confirmed nervous system disorder
• Fever
• Uterine prolapse
• Hernia that meets one or more of the following criteria:
  • impedes movement (includes conditions in which the hind legs of the animal touches the hernia when animal is walking)
  • is painful on palpation
  • touches the ground when the animal is standing in its natural position
  • has an open skin wound, ulceration, or obvious infection.

The above restrictions do not apply to animals destined for treatment at a veterinary clinic or for diagnosis at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. (It is now illegal to load or unload a non-ambulatory animal in Canada unless the animal is being transported with special provisions for veterinary treatment or diagnosis. This change took effect in June 2005.)

Transport with special provisions* - Compromised

• Penis injuries
• Frostbite
• Bloat (if not weak or already down)
• Laboured breathing
• Blindness in both eyes
• Open wound with bleeding and/or exposed bone
• Amputee
• Animals that have not fully healed after operations such as dehorning or castration
• Animals that have given birth in the preceding 48 hours
• Rectal or vaginal prolapse
• ** Lameness
• Cattle that require hobbles to prevent kicking
• Animal in heavy lactation (animals in heavy lactation must be milked every 12 hours, failure to do so will result in the animal becoming unfit for transport)

Transport only to the nearest available slaughter establishment or for treatment at a veterinary clinic or diagnosis at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. A veterinarian may be required to assess these animals prior to loading. (It is now illegal to load or unload a non-ambulatory animal in Canada unless the animal is being transported with special provisions for veterinary treatment or diagnosis. This change took effect in June 2005.)

* Special Provisions

• Extra bedding
• Loading in rear compartment
• Separation from other animals
• Penning with familiar companion animal may be possible
• Local transport only
• Transport directly to the nearest suitable place where the animal can be properly cared for, slaughtered or euthanized.
• Other measures as appropriate

What is meant by nearest suitable place?

Compromised animals that are fit for transport are not to go through auction markets or assembly yards. They must go directly to their final destination. If compromised animals are to be sent to slaughter, they must not travel long distances in order to go to the slaughter facility, even if the only slaughter facility is far away. They need to go to nearby slaughter facilities or be killed humanely on farm (or treated).

If the animal becomes compromised during the journey then the nearest suitable place can be a nearby veterinary hospital, farm, auction market/assembly yard, slaughter plant where the animal can receive care, or be euthanized.

** Lameness Descriptions Rendering Animals Compromised or Unfit for Transport

Use these descriptions to determine if an animal requires special provisions during transportation or if it is unfit to be transported.

Transport with Special Provisions* (see above)

• Visibly lame but can keep up with the group
• Unable to keep up, some difficulty climbing ramps.
• Difficulty rising and requires additional time to get up. Treatment, euthanasia or emergency on-farm slaughter is recommended. The loading of such an animal is strongly discouraged.

Unfit for Transport - Do Not Load** except for transport to a veterinarian for treatment or diagnosis using specialized equipment, and in accordance with provincial regulations on the advice of a veterinarian.

• Cannot rise without assistance and reluctant to walk, halted movement. This animal is non-ambulatory. Treatment, euthanasia or emergency on-farm slaughter is necessary.

• Unable to rise or to remain standing without assistance. This animal is non-ambulatory. Treatment, euthanasia or emergency on-farm slaughter is necessary.