OTTAWA, June 7 /CNW/ – The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) today calls for a thorough performance review of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, while questioning their management role in the monitoring and enforcement of equine slaughterhouses. Serious animal welfare concerns and potential dangers of horsemeat consumption will be addressed.
“It’s troubling that the CFIA promised changes in slaughter practices after a 2008 investigation at Natural Valley Farms in Neudorf, Saskatchewan,” states Alex Atamanenko, MP-NDP Agriculture Critic, “yet two years later, we hear that CFIA inspectors were instructed to break their own rules and not be present when firearms were being used to stun horses. Since 2007 there has been no oversight in the stunning areas of equine slaughter plants.”
Veterinarian Dr. Debi Zimmermann concurs. “Recent undercover footage at two additional slaughterhouses shows prolonged animal suffering. These actions violate both accepted humane practices as well the CFIA’s own regulations. In light of these serious breaches of industry regulations by the CFIA, we need to revisit the auditing process, as well as ensure that actions be taken to enforce regulations, with strict penalties imposed for inflicting cruelty on animals.” Dr. Zimmermann also believes that the question as to whether or not horses can be slaughtered humanely deserves consideration.
“It is unacceptable that the Canadian government turned a blind eye to the suffering of horses in slaughter plants,” adds Nikolas Gour, campaigner for Humane Society International / Canada. “Canadian investigations clearly demonstrate that horse slaughter is inherently inhumane. The Canadian government must act now to put an end to this cruelty.”
Yet animal welfare is not the only concern. “Drugs like phenylbutazone are routinely given to horses for relief of pain and inflammation,” states Dr. Ray Kellosalmi, M.D. “Bute is a proven carcinogen which would mean that we are, in fact, guilty of potentially poisoning consumers.”
MP Alex Atamanenko, Dr. Zimmermann, and Dr. Kellosalmi will be speaking in the Press Gallery (Charles Lynch Room) beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 8, 2010. Mr. Gour will be available to answer questions for French media, and representatives from CHDC will also be in attendance.
For further information: please phone (204) 296-1375,www.defendhorsescanada.org
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://i0.wp.com/img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png)
Categories: Horse News
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Alberta Horse Inspections
April Fiscal Y.T.D. Year-to-date
Horses slaughtered in Alberta direct – 1,913 – 7,652
Number exported – 361 – 1,420
Number of horses traded – 4,074 – 10,758
Total horses – 6,348 – 19,830
LikeLike
Hope this is your blog, R.T. — it looks totally different —
Anyway. . . for anyone who’s seen the recent photos from Elyse Gardner’s blog will attest, the U.S. Government’s Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro program, despite receiving millions and millions of dollars from Congress, has no compunction to spend money on adequate veterinary care for the horses they have stashed at the feedlot in Fallon, NV. When I think of 33,000 such horses in feedlots out of public sight, with horses keeling over from undiagnosed illnesses, it makes me sick. We need to deal with this issue right here in the Good Old U.S.A. Now I read where Obama is lifting the ban on whaling in 10 years.
LikeLike
You are in the right place, Janet…we were due for a face lift.
Spot on, too…commentary in the works on the very subject.
LikeLike
I agree. Having one vet for a large amount of horses is a serious problem and calls for new policies.
LikeLike
It really hurts just to look at that photo. The Palomino looks like a Bashkir Curly horse! Somehow I thought the Canadians were more Humane.
LikeLike
With the seal hunts, the recent massacre of 500 narwhals trapped in ice, as well as wild horses (theirs and ours), Canada is not exactly progressive when it comes to humane treatment of animals.
LikeLike
Just reading the numbers sickens my soul. I am putting my hopes into the research that shows how toxic horse meat is and that people finally wise up to what they have been consuming.
LikeLike
If the meat is sold to foreign markets, it might end up disguised as an other meat, or come back here and be sold down the food chain as well. I am not sure people are always aware that they are eating horse meat. As far as medications, by now there is probably a market for horses which have not been medicated.
LikeLike
I guess what I’m thinking is that if horse meat is in demand and from what I’ve seen, it’s sold cheaply overseas, then there is a gap somewhere. In order to make a profit, it is either sold in high volumes, but probably it is disguised as well, or mixed with another meat to recoup the cost of the other meat.
LikeLike