Long distance transport gets animals nowhere

Canada's allowable transport times are among the longest in the developed world despite the fact that Canadians want farm animals to be treated more humanely.
© WSPA

Canada allows farm animals to be transported on long, gruelling journeys without food, water and rest. Hungry and thirsty, crammed into overcrowded trucks, forced to lie or stand in their excrement in extreme temperatures - the suffering is immense. The fact that millions of animals arrive at slaughterhouses dead, diseased and injured shouldn't surprise us.

For nearly a decade, Canada's Agriculture Minister has been reviewing whether to amend the regulations on how farm animals are transported across the country. These regulations haven't been updated in more than a quarter of a century. With nearly 600 million animals being transported to slaugther every year, we can't wait for a decision. We need your help to achieve stronger regulations.

Act now to stop live transport in Canada

Please ask the Minister of Agriculture, Gerry Ritz to stop the long distance transport of animals and strengthen the regulations under the Health of Animals Act to ensure farm animals are treated more humanely.

Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-995-7080 Email: Ritz.G@parl.gc.ca

Please send copies to the agriculture critics:

Hon. Wayne Easter, Liberal Agriculture Critic
318 Justice Building, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-995-7408 Email: EasteW@parl.gc.ca

Mr. Alex Atamanenko, NDP Agriculture Critic
House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-943-0922 Email: AtamaA@parl.gc.ca

Mr. André Bellavance, Bloc Québécois Agriculture Critic
House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-995-2026 Email: BellaA@parl.gc.ca
*preferred language is French

Remember that no postage is required to send letters to the Federal Government

Here is some background information to help you with your letter:

• Transportation is one of the most stressful events in a farm animal’s life.
  
  Deprivation of food and water, overcrowding, lack of opportunities for rest and prolonged exposure to extreme heat or cold are common welfare concerns associated with long distance transport. There is considerable scientific evidence showing that the level of suffering increases directly with the length of the journey endured.
  
• Canada’s transport time limits are among the longest in the industrialized world and are not consistent with the scientific findings on animal welfare.
  
  In Canada, pigs, horses and poultry can be transported up to 36 hours without food, water and being unloaded to rest. Cattle, sheep and goats can be transported up to 52 hours. In Europe, most species are not permitted to be transported more than 8 hours.
  
• Scientific bodies including the European Food and Safety Authority, have recommended that transport be avoided wherever possible and journeys kept as short as possible.
  
• Weak regulations that result in poor animal welfare threatens the quality, health and safety of Canadian food products.
  
  In 2002, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare reported that the welfare of animals generally gets worse, the longer the journey and they become more susceptible to infections and disease.
  
  The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations describes live animal transport as “ideally suited for spreading disease,” given that animals may originate from different herds or flocks and are “confined together for long periods in a poorly ventilated stressful environment.”
  
• Slaughtering animals close to the farm would help stimulate the local economy by retaining more jobs and product value in rural communities.