Downer Animals Can No Longer Go To Slaughter

Recent changes to provincial legislation make it illegal to transport “downer” animals to slaughter plants in Manitoba. Bill 2 (The Animal Care Amendment Act) now only allows downers to be transported to veterinary clinics. The bill recently passed public hearings by the Manitoba Legislature Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food. It defines a downed animal

Coalition To Step Up Anti-Confinement Activity

“They don’t really understand what the welfare picture is in Canada.” – SHANYN SILINSKI, MFAC Acoalition of Canadian animal welfare organizations plans to increase pressure on government and the agricultural industry to ban confinement systems for farm animals. The seven-member group met in Winnipeg this past weekend to plan strategy for a national campaign against


Egg Wars A Thing Of The Past, Producers Told

When Harold Froese became Manitoba’s representative on the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency’s board of directors, the national egg system seemed about to implode. Bitter arguments between provinces over quota allocations and industrial egg programs threatened to tear the agency apart. What a difference a few years make. Since 2001, there has been “unprecedented peace” in

Reframe Animal Rights Debate, Producers Told

Livestock producers under attack from animal welfare activists should fight fire with fire by appealing to people’s emotions, says a food industry communications strategist. Activists focus on feelings to get people angry about alleged animal abuse. So farmers should counter with emotional arguments based on consumers’ self-interest, Dan Murphy said. Murphy, an American meat industry


Ontario cities ban cage eggs

Orillia and Pickering have bowed to pressure from the Humane Society of Canada to ban the sale of eggs from caged hens in all municipal facilities. The Humane Society calls it a landmark decision. It follows similar bans in university cafeterias, including the University of Guelph. The Humane Society says the councils are also encouraging



WHS hails California livestock law

The Winnipeg Humane Society last week congratulated California voters for passing Proposition 2 to phase out farmers’ use of gestation crates for breeding sows, battery cages for laying hens and crates for veal calves. WHS executive director Bill McDonald said the society has asked to meet with Premier Gary Doer “to review farm confinement practices