Canada has its first Bill to ban horse slaughter!

Courtesy:

Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC)

Canada has its first Bill to ban horse slaughter!  A big thank you to NDP MP Alex Atamanenko and horse supporters everywhere for this huge, historical step toward banning horse slaughter in Canada.

Bill C-544, "An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act and the Meat Inspection Act (slaughter of horses for human consumption)", was tabled on June 16, 2010 by MP Alex Atamanenko:  http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4633655&Language=e&Mode=1 

Click on the various sub-titles on the left of the document.

On June 16, 2010, a Private Member's Bill to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption was tabled in Canadian Parliament by MP Alex Atamanenko (NDP Agriculture Critic).  The basis of the bill is the fact that horses are not food-producing animals and many are treated with drugs that are prohibited from entering the human food chain.

 

This bill is a huge step forward in the movement to abolish a cruel, archaic and unnecessary industry, and we applaud Mr. Atamanenko for his monumental initiative. 

What can horse advocates do to ensure that this bill becomes law? 

There is a process involved:  All Private Member's bills must be debated and pass three readings.  In order to move forward, a vote must take place and a bill must have the support of the majority of Members of Parliament. 

For more information on this process please click on the link below:

http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/pdf/leg_proc_canada.pdf.

While Parliament is in recess for the Summer, this is the time for horse advocates to reach out to their MP to brief them on this issue and to encourage them to support this Bill when the Fall session resumes.

A Sweeping Undercover Investigation of Canada's Leading Equine Slaughterhouses

Chambers of Carnage

A Sweeping Undercover Investigation of Canada's Leading Equine Slaughterhouses

Horse Welfare Group calls for immediate closure of Canada’s horse slaughter plants

Westbank, B.C., March 30, 2010: In late February 2010, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) received hidden camera footage of horse slaughter practices at Quebec’s Viandes Richelieu and Alberta’s Bouvry Exports - the latter known as North America’s largest exporter of horsemeat. The CHDC has asked a panel of veterinarians, the BC SPCA and the World Society for the Protection of Animals to review the footage, which contains numerous instances of improper stunning and horses showing signs of returning consciousness. 

Early audit results of the footage show automatic failures of both facilities.

The CHDC has compelling proof that puts into question the effectiveness of the assembly-line slaughter of horses. The evidence demonstrates that both the facilities in Alberta and Quebec fail to meet humane slaughter standards used by the CFIA to audit Canadian slaughterhouses.

The CHDC’s June 2008 report on Natural Valley Farms - the now bankrupt horse slaughterhouse in Saskatchewan (http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/story/2009/10/01/national-horses-061008.html) documented the inadequate stunning of horses with the penetrating captive bolt gun.

At both plants in the February 2010 investigation, a .22 rifle was used, and again horses were shot incorrectly, with some regaining consciousness. As stated by Alberta veterinarian Dr. Debi Zimmermann: “I conclude that the wary and flighty nature of the horse, coupled with the poorly designed kill plant systems currently in place at Bouvry Exports and Viandes Richelieu, results in unacceptable levels of suffering endured by horses (both in number of horses and degree of suffering), and poses inherent dangers to plant personnel.” Dr. Zimmermann adds: “The shooters are seldom able to adhere to the required protocols for euthanasia by firearm, due to a combination of horse and human factors.”

As there are only two government-approved methods of stunning horses in Canada - captive bolt gun and rifle - and both methods have been shown to cause prolonged suffering in numerous horses, we conclude that these animals cannot be slaughtered humanely in today’s slaughterhouse assembly lines.

The CHDC therefore calls for the immediate closure of Canada’s horse slaughter plants.

To view footage, go to www.defendhorsescanada.org.

For further information, please contact:

Twyla Francois

Central Region Director

T: 204-296-1375

Sinikka Crosland

Executive Director

T: 250-768-4803

Canadian Horse Defence Coalition

info@defendhorsescanada.org

www.defendhorsescanada.org