Equidae Working Group

Record of Decision

Teleconference Call – September 14, 2007

Present:

Shirley DeVenz
Reda Ouamara
Ron Clarke
Debbie Millar
Susan Stewart
Bruce Brown
Sandra Conrad
Brian Tropea
Chris Gould
Bill desBarres
Dr. Edward Kendall
Vel Evans
Dean Leifso
Gayle Ecker
Gail Paul Wilson
Jack DeWit
Bruce Flewelling
Fran Okihiro

Absent:

Marnie Somers
Al Patterson
Mara Coote Freeman
Craig Andreas
John Snobelen

Minutes of August 29, 2007

Draft Minutes were reviewed and adopted.

Discussion of Definitions: Working Group/Horse definition

Discussion of Equine Canada definition: Equine Canada represents the equine world which encompasses all activities and industries relating to the use and reproduction of horses, ponies, donkeys, assess, mules, and or their products. Equines are multi functional livestock whose uses include farms, sport, leisure, work, food, entertainment, companions and animals in the wild.

Definition of the Equine Industry Working Group represents individuals, groups, organizations and concerns including, but not limited to equine health and welfare from all facets of the equine world from breeding to elite international competitions through these functions and uses during the life of the animal to disposal after death in both domestic and non-domestic situations. It encompasses all those activities relating to the production, care, use and enjoyment of equines and their products. The sector is organized along use patterns or value elements are created through this by performance or training. Freight standards follow the National Guidelines prepared by expert practitioners and are based on scientific evidence. The welfare of these highly visible animals is of paramount importance to the industry as a whole and to each stakeholder.

A more basic definition was put forth: Equine is horses, donkeys, and mules are functional livestock both domesticated and feral that are used for many purposes.

Discussion of standard term of equine or equidae and avoid use of companion animals as they are being used by people and are use animals. All horse use and people who use horses would encompass companion use as the term ‘companion’ is not the right term. Keeping the definition as general as possible will include all uses of the animals in order to properly represents all groups.

Discussion of retaining farmed animal use and the definition of the Farmed Animal Working Group.

Definition of horses: Equidae or equines are horses, donkeys, and mules are functional livestock both domesticated and feral, that are used for many purposes.

Definition: Equidae are functional livestock, both domesticated and feral those are used for many purposes.

Discussion of Definitions: Animal Health/Welfare definitions

Animal health definition needs to include human health involvement as it relates to preventing animal disease and correcting situations that are interfering in animal health and the impact of humans in sustaining and preserving the integrity of the animal.

Discussion of the human role in preserving the animal’s integrity and the term ‘integrity’.

Discussion of the WHO definition of health.

Expert opinion and behavioural needs of the animal and the relation to appropriate use. Animal welfare has a connection to appropriate use and human intervention.

Discussion of Definition: animal welfare is a human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well being including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention, responsible care, humane handling and where necessary humane euthanasia.

Discussion of definition of animal welfare: animal welfare is the measure of an animals ability or inability to cope with stressors which may be physical (e.g. pain, injury), physiological (e.g. environmental or disease stressors) or psychological (e.g. effecting the senses essentially that result in fear fighting distress or stereotypic behaviours due to either frustration or boredom.

Does not include the management of the welfare situation of the animal being proper housing, management, nutrition or training of the animal. Stereotypic changed to atypical behaviour which opens up to expert opinion.

Discussion of all examples of definitions and the perspective and scope of the NAHS.

Discussion on the scope of the NAHS with a vision or outcomes and if we had this it could help develop definitions and issues.

Discussion of Issues, Outcomes and Principles:

Parameters of the strategy, where it is going and how it will happen would be helpful. A vision is all encompassing with economics, foreign animal disease, etc. A vision statement is needed in order to see the outcome of the strategy in order to work within the vision.

Issues:

• No economic base/health regulations to link that are a disadvantage
• Withdrawal times, residues and pharmaceuticals and horses going into the food chain
• Time it takes to get diseases to get them on the reportable lists (equine herpes) this was absent in Canada however, there are three cases in Alberta
• slaughter of horses to eradicate disease
• Horse ID and traceability
• Veterinary and human health issues – meat food change animal and food chain animal
• Production management – marketing difficult to add to a meaningful value added chain
• Taxation: s. 31 of taxation as we don’t have access to money – out of date
• Horses are only animal not zero rated – not a fair environment
• Categorize all animals from a government perspective in the scope of the strategy
• Horses are not classified as livestock in relation to costs in the industry
• Due to current definitions horses are not defined in statistics
• Health products of horses that could have a health impact
• Movement of horses nationally and internationally and the regulations for movement from province to province
• Animal and human health – zoonotic diseases – foreign animal disease brought by another animal in the country to determine whether it affects other animals and humans. We don’t have enough time, research, warning (e.g. West Nile virus) more responsibility nationally. Equine is a part of that cycle. Recognize the potential of zoonotic diseases – salmonella, staphylococcus etc.
• Animal husbandry is most human to animal contact more than any other large animal – research and monitoring
• Physical safety concerns during contact with humans is prevalent more with horses and not with other livestock
• Research and education regarding composting (mass disposal)
• Land use planning: Rights to maintain horses in urban areas and zoning around horse operations and manure management and storage
• Nutrient (manure) management storage and removal – six months to one year depending on the number of animals that the facility can hold
• Access to environmentally sensitive land – horses in National Parks – the right to ride and the trail systems – covered in Ontario Trail Strategy (five year) also being done in Alberta – Land Use Framework organization - should be part of the issues within the strategy
• Need for a national coordinated access to trails
• Slaughter and transportation – strategy to develop education for transportation and truckers (private transportation vs. Industry transportation) 85% of movement is by private owners
• Blackout research in Canada as EU provides
• Funding for research
• Federal regulations for time restrictions of an animal in a trailer but there is a gap on animals entering into the Canada (e.g. 36 hour waiting times at borders)
• Economic factors of an unwell animal – how sick must an animal be before it can be euthanized – what is acceptable and non-acceptable
• Disparity between federal and provincial transport rates
• Slaughter for human consumption and end of life
• Humane slaughter – methods of appropriate slaughter
• Infrastructure support – access to appropriate veterinary care in remote areas
• Check point exams at borders
• Improvement of infrastructure for livestock on highways
• Degree of movement and intermingling of horses (disease control)

Principles:

• Collaborative approach that “recognizes” the interests of all partners
• Accountability and transparency “within prudent policy guidelines”
• Inclusion of evolving science “delete in decision making”
• Inclusion of approaches that allow partners to be responsive, adaptive, flexible, and to continually improve
• Sustainable decision making and actions “delete ethically driven and”
• “create national” initiatives, priorities, and perspectives while developing a framework for national standards that consider regional concerns

Discussion of adding a principle - decisions that reflect the legal rights and responsibilities of owners of animals in Canada.

Outcomes:

Number 6: continue to improve the quality of life for animals this is broadly indefinable and deletion of number 6 in its entirety.

Other Items:

Attendance of participants at the workshop, Al Patterson, Bill desBarres, Brian Tropea, Bruce Brown, Bruce Flewelling, Debbie Millar, Susan Stewart, Edward Kendall, Fran Okihiro, Gayle Ecker, Jack DeWit, John Snobelen, Kim Berlie, Sandra Conrad, Vel Evans

Action Item: Provide a list of participants and their travel and accommodations arrangements

Next Meeting:

No date for next conference call decided. NAHS Workshop is September 18-19, 2007,Ottawa