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Transportation of Animals
For many years the only legislation in force in
Canada intended to regulate the transportation
of animals was contained found in the Criminal
Code of Canada. The section covered transportation
by sea and rail. Road or air which, by 1970,
had overtaken rail and sea as the most common
means of transporting large numbers of animals,
particularly cattle, from Western Canada to markets
in Toronto and Montreal was not covered by legislation.
The Foundation was concerned by an increasing
number of reports of animals being transported
for long periods of time without rest, food or
water. In 1972, the Foundation authorized
and funded a study of transportation by both road
and rail. The report produced as a result
of this study dramatically supported the need
for new legislation.
The Foundation submitted the report to a meeting
of Members of Parliament who were interested in
this problem. Funds were made available
to the Canadian Cattleman's Association to allow
a representative to speak to the Members of Parliament.
A Special Committee was appointed by the Veterinary
Director-General of Canada to make recommendations
for new legislation. The Foundation was
represented on this committee. Eventually
the Government of Canada introduced new regulations
covering the transportation of animals, by any
means, anywhere in the Canada.
Nevertheless, in 1986 the Foundation became concerned
with reports that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture
was drastically reducing the level of enforcement
of this legislation. As a result, funds
were made available to the Canadian Federation
of Humane Societies to enable that organization
to carry out an extensive survey of the way in
which the transportation regulations were, and
are, being enforced.
The report, which was made public in 1987 and
was very critcal of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture,
gave proof that the Ministry is making little
or no attempt to enforce the law.
In 1987 the Foundation received a report from
the President of the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals in Australia concerning
the export of live sheep by sea from Australia
to Canada. The Foundation agreed to support
an 'on-site-on-board' investigation of this new
trade.
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