Hum@ne News

Not to be missed! “No Country for Animals” on Global TV this Wednesday, 10 pm

This Wednesday, July 28, at 10 pm, Global TV airs “No Country for Animals”, a special documentary by Kevin Newman that examines Canada’s deplorable record on animal welfare and the people who are fighting to bring about
much-needed change. We urge you to mark your calendars and be sure to
catch this important documentary, which touches on crucial animal
welfare challenges in Canada -- from abusive puppy mills to the
overcrowded abattoir-bound trucks where livestock can go for days
without food or water. Tell your friends, family members and co-workers
to watch it too!

As you will see in this eye-opening documentary, the struggle to improve the lives of animals in the pet trade, agriculture, and other industries is an uphill battle. Canada’s toothless animal cruelty law dates back to 1892, and
the few laws or regulations we have for livestock transport and
slaughter are poorly enforced. It is a struggle, however, that the CFHS
is committed to engaging in every day.

Our advocacy efforts have helped bring about legal and regulatory reforms, but we can only continue to build on these successes with your support. Won’t you consider making a tax-deductible donation to the CFHS today? To donate, just click here.

CFHS speaks out against abuse inherent in rodeos

Following the death of several horses during the first few days of the Calgary Stampede, the CFHS spoke out against the cruelty inherent in rodeos held across Canada.

“While the death of 4 horses in 2 days has raised eyebrows, the sad reality is this is par for the course for the Stampede,” says Shelagh MacDonald, program director of the CFHS. “Typically, several animals die at the Stampede every year while being harassed,
agitated and driven to their limit for mere entertainment.”

Horses, calves, steers and other animals are subjected to fear, pain and discomfort during rodeo events to elicit behaviours such as running and bucking. According to the Vancouver Humane Society, nearly 50 chuckwagon horses have been killed
at the Stampede since 1986, mainly due to crash injuries and
stress-induced heart attacks.

“This is probably the most monitored rodeo in Canada,” says MacDonald. “If the Calgary Stampede can’t keep animals from being killed during its
events, what does this say about the dozens of other rodeos across the country?”

Read more in the CFHS media release here.

Funding secured to ramp up basic standards for farm animal care

In April, it was announced that the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) will receive $3.4 million in federal government funding over the next three years. The bulk of the funding will go towards updating the national codes of practice for five farm industries and initiating new codes in three additional industries. Four commodities groups have already stepped up and are
ready to update their codes; they are beef, pork, equine and mink.

As a member of the NFACC, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies has actively contributed to the development of farm animal care standards known as “codes of practice” since the beginning of the program in the 1980s. These codes establish important basic standards for the care and
handling of farm animals. In provinces that have enacted animal welfare
legislation, the codes serve as reference documents for enforcement, setting out what constitutes reasonable and generally accepted practices of farm animal management.

We are pleased that these new codes will be developed using a new process that is a substantial improvement over the old one. The new process
requires the involvement of an independent scientists committee, the
inclusion of firm requirements in addition to recommended best
practices, more transparency, and an opportunity for public comment.

The government funding will also support the finalization of an on-farm animal care assessment model. The model is to be used by industry associations as they develop programs to ensure that the codes of practice are in fact being followed
by producers.

Have you ordered your Humane Community poster?

"This is a humane community. We report suspected animal abuse."

Display this message in your neighbourhood with our new Humane Community posters. These 8.5 x 11" posters are designed to be displayed in your front window. The back of the poster tells you how to recognize and report
potential incidents of animal abuse.

The posters are available for $5 each, or three for $10. They can be ordered online here.

Calling all potential pet adopters

Are you, or is someone you know, interested in adopting a new pet? The Iams “Home 4 the Holidays” annual pet adoption program is looking for pet adopters who would allow their experience to be documented and presented through Facebook and
other types of media. The ideal candidates already have
a Facebook page, are comfortable posting photos and videos, and would
be willing to be interviewed by members of the press and bloggers.

The selected adopters will also be entered to win Iams food for life for their new pet, as well as a chance to win a pet-friendly vacation.

Anyone interested in being considered as one of these official "Adoption Angels" should e-mail their full name, mailing address, age, phone
number, type of pet they're interested in adopting, e-mail address,
Facebook URL, and a short explanation about why they are looking for a
new pet to danielle@rocketxl.com.

There are a limited number of positions available, so please respond promptly, and thank you for your commitment to saving pets’ lives!