The BC SPCA: Email - Chickens and turkeys are counting on your voice

The BC SPCA

October 2015

Dear friend,

FarmSense is the BC SPCA’s quarterly e-newsletter about farm animal welfare. In this issue, we celebrate the BC SPCA’s Farm Animal Month. We hope to inspire you to take action for farm animals in B.C. and across Canada, and we have a few suggestions for how you can get on board. Read on to find out more, and check out the full article here.

In recognition of Farm Animal Month, SPCA Certified farmer Trevor Newton of Sumas Mountain Farms shares what animal welfare means to him: “I feel we owe farm animals quality of life. We owe them safety. We owe them protection. We owe them the kind of life they were meant to live. Otherwise, we’re stealing from that animal.” Read the full interview here.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the BC SPCA’s farm animal welfare initiatives.

Sincerely,

The BC SPCA Farm Animal Welfare Team

Chickens and turkeys are counting on your voice

In Canada, 700 million farm animals are raised for food each year, and 95% of these animals are chickens and turkeys.

The Canadian Code of Practice sets minimum requirements for the care of farm animals. The Code for chickens and turkeys is now being updated for the first time in 12 years. Don’t miss your chance to participate in the public comment period and have your say in improving the lives of farm animals!

Animal’s Voice Pawdcast features SPCA Certified program

SPCA Certified program manager, Brandy Street, was interviewed for ‘Animal’s Voice Pawdcast,’ a podcast published by the Ontario SPCA.

The podcast featured news about the SPCA Certified program’s June launch in Ontario and national expansion plans.

Listen here

Are you a political animal?

Do you feel strongly about Canada’s laws to protect animals from suffering? With a federal election around the corner, what do you want your candidates to care about?

The Federal Animal Transport Regulations and the Criminal Code are both outdated and inadequate in protecting animals across Canada. Let’s get animal welfare on the political agenda for this year’s federal election!

Take action now

Government announces great moos for B.C. dairy cattle

Things just got better for the province’s dairy cattle. On July 8, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture announced the adoption of a regulation to improve the protection of dairy cattle within the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The regulation ensures that, moving forward, there are clear guidelines on what ‘generally accepted practices’ are in the handling of dairy cattle.

Kids weigh in on battery cages for egg-laying chickens

At BC SPCA summer camps, kids learn all about the lives of animals through discussions, games, arts and crafts.

Isabel and Annabel, two young participants in this year’s summer camp, created a poster to share their views on the use of battery cages for housing egg-laying chickens. According to the girls, people should “Stop puting [sic] chickens in badery [sic] cages!!!!! The five freedoms are not here!”

Food for thought

Harley Farms in Keene first to pass SPCA protocols for animal welfare (myKawartha.com, June 5, 2015)

Animal-friendly farming in Keene (CHEX TV, June 5, 2015)

First Ontario farm to get – wait for it – SPCA certification (Farmers Forum, July 6, 2015)

German poultry industry agrees to beak trimming ban (World Poultry, July 17, 2015)

Fine structure for non-reporting of pig movements possible later this year (FarmScape, July 23, 2015)

Hybrid Turkeys pleads guilty to animal cruelty (CBC News, August 25, 2015)

Are cattle well treated during transport? (Alberta Farmer Express, August 25, 2015)

McDonald’s switching to cage-free chickens for its Egg McMuffins (CBC News, September 9, 2015)

Upcoming events and conferences

Note: Event and conference listings are posted for information purposes only and are not intended to imply endorsement by the BC SPCA.

Alberta Sheep Breeders Symposium (October 15-17, 2015; Edmonton, AB)