MAUREEN HARPER VETERINARIAN (RETIRED)
FORMERLY WITH CFIA COMMENTS ON RESPONSE
Remember the petition that we shamelessly flogged and promised had clout because it was sponsored by a Member of Parliament?
Well it closed, and thanks to you, it’s been presented in Canadian Parliament and again thanks to you and your support it’s brought about all kinds of coverage in major publications (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun, The National Post) and on for example CBC THE NATIONAL, the CTV & GLOBAL networks — and now the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Canada) has responded – in writing.
Here’s part of what she has to say…
Horses are then transported by air to the importing country, notably Japan, and horses that are exported from Canada for slaughter are subject to the same regulations as horses shipped for other uses, such as breeding or international sporting events. For every shipment, all participants are required to meet all Canadian and international standards. [Read her full response here.]
Really? Seriously?
Do the wooden crates used to transport horses from Canada to Japan (and other markets) for slaughter look anything like the carefully crafted metal, padded "stalls" used to transport show and other horses by air?
Does how horses destined for slaughter are loaded onto flights look anything like how show and other horses are carefully led onto flights?
Seriously? Minister Bibeau, please watch the short videos that show otherwise.
All one has to do is look at footage provided by the CBC National News, or footage from CTV's W5 expose/documentary to realize that is NOT the case.
In no way shape or form does the way in which horses are transported to slaughter resemble how horses exported for other purposes are handled.
AND as covered recently on the CBC National News and as freely admitted by those who transport horses from Canada to Japan for slaughter...
(AGAIN, watch the CBC National news coverage)
National and international shipping regulations ARE being broken. Again, listen to the shipper of horses on the CBC National News admit that the CFIA is turning a blind eye.
How dare the Minister say in her response that the poor draft horses are subjected to the same requirements that all horses being shipped internationally by air are!
Are other horses being shipped in rickety wooden containers, unsegregated? NO!!
They are shipped separately from one another in proper horse containers which are usually made of metal and are very well padded.
And in the recent shipment in Dec. departing from Winnipeg, transport times well exceeded the legislated required maximum of 28 hrs without food, water and rest, leading to the downing of 3 horses on arrival in Japan.
There were no consequences to all involved. Simply the “cost of doing business” in their eyes!
And the newly implemented animal transport regs now only require that incompatible animals be segregated.
It is impossible for any CFIA vet to determine compatibility on the spot at the time of loading the horses.
Regardless, compatibility can quickly change due to the stress of the flight.
I wrote the Minister well over a month ago and have yet to receive a response from her.
So much for her engaging in consultation with all concerned parties.
This is despite my meeting with two Liberal MPs here in Brampton.
My question remains, why is she even consulting anyone?
The PM campaigned on banning these shipments and he issued a directive to the Minister to do so in his mandate letter dated Dec. 16, 2021. Yet these inhumane shipments continue, and horses continue to be injured on these flights.
Canadians should be outraged!!!
THE GLOBE & MAIL
MARCH 1, 2023
Imagine this: Cute little dogs being bred on farms for the sole purpose of being shipped overseas to be slaughtered and fed as a delicacy to the rich.
But before they reach their final destination, before they are killed and butchered, they are stuffed into small wooden crates (up to four animals crowded in the tiny enclosure) for the often bumpy, terrifying 8,000 km journey – going without food and water for up to 25 to 30 hours.
Imagine if Canadians found out this practice was taking place.
We would collectively go ballistic and demand it be immediately shut down. And any government that hoped to get re-elected would act instantly. They wouldn’t take months or years. It would be shut down overnight. [read the full article here...]
T-SHIRTS IN SUPPORT OF HORSE RESCUE FUND
LIMITED TIME OFFER FREE SHIPPING CANADA & USA
CANADA SLAUGHTERS HORSES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
It may be hard for some to believe that tens of thousands of horses, including pets, are routinely slaughtered in Canada, for human consumption.
Some of the meat is consumed in Canada and much of it is shipped to the European Union and other markets, including Japan.
The barbaric slaughter of horses is currently not legal in the United States, BUT horses, including pets and ex-racehorses, from the United States are shipped to Canada and to Mexico to be slaughtered.
In addition Canada allows for the transportation of live horses to Japan, to be slaughtered for human consumption, and unfortunately the transportation of horses destined for slaughter within Canada, and by air, is far from humane.
Maureen Harper DVM
RETIRED CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY VETERINARIAN MAUREEN HARPER SPEAKS OUT May 30, 2017 "In my opinion, Canada has the worst animal transport regulations amongst developed nations. This is based on current allowable maximum transport times for all animals."Very...
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