JANUARY 2011 THE RIDER /31
Canada’s Equine Code of Practice to be Updated by Diverse Committee of Stakeholders
Ottawa, ON—Equine Canada is pleased to announce the Equine Code Development Commit- tee of 18 stakeholder representatives from eight provinces has been finalized and the next stage of revising the Code of Practice for Horses, last developed in 1998, can begin. Following the nationally recognized and supported National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) Code Development Guidelines, the Equine Code Devel- opment Committee will work with the Equine Sci- entists’ Committee, assembled by NFACC, to develop the new Code of Practice for Horses that is planned for release in 2013.
cal and health advances since then, the Industry Division of Equine Canada deemed the revision of the Code to be a high priority,” stated Dean Leif- so, Chair, Equine Canada Industry Division Coun- cil. “It is gratifying that the Government of Cana- da and the National Farm Animal Care Council recognized the need for a revised equine Code of Practice and have provided support to develop and distribute the new Code to Canada’s equine com- munity.”
The Codes of Practice are nationally devel- oped guidelines for the care and handling of the different species of farm animals. They are intend- ed to promote sound management and welfare practices through recommendations and require- ments for housing, management, transportation, processing and other animal husbandry practices. Requirements refer to either a regulatory require- ment, or an industry-imposed expectation of best practices to encourage a higher level of care. Participants on the Equine Code Develop- ment Committee represent a broad cross-section of the industry in Canada, with significant expertise in care and custody, equine health and veterinary care, technical knowledge, research, welfare legis- lation, regulation and/or enforcement, environ- mental or ecological science, biosecurity, and international best practices. Expertise in the unique husbandry practices required for large- scale equine breeding, feedlot management, draft horses, race horses, donkeys and mules, Quarter Horses, Arabians, and horses used primarily for the equestrian sports of jumping, dressage and eventing, as well as driving, western sport, recre- ation and outfitting are well-represented. All participants are cognizant of the purposes and uses of horses in Canada, have experience actively participating in volunteer committees and have proficient oral and written communication skills. The process will enable them to solicit feed- back from the organizations or sectors they have expertise in and provide updated information for dissemination.
A key feature of the Code process is the inclusion of a Scientists’ Committee, comprised of researchers and academics brought together by NFACC. It will review the research relative to the priority welfare issues for equidae and compile a summary report. The report will provide science- based information to the Equine Code Develop- ment Committee.
As a member organization of both NFACC and the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC), Equine Canada facilitated the organiza- tion of the Equine Code Development Committee. Since 2005, it has been leading the effort to update the Code of Practice for Horses. In 2009, the NFACC Code Development Guidelines were approved and in April 2010, the Government of Canada announced funding of this project through AgriFlexibility, a program delivered in Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
Codes of Practice serve multiple purposes includ- ing
• providing information and education, • serving as the foundation for animal care assess- ment programs, and
• providing reference materials for regulations.
The NFACC Code of Practice Development Pro- cess aims to
• link Code recommendations with science, • ensure transparency in the process, • include broad representation from stakeholders, • contribute to improvements in farm animal care, • identify topics for research and encourage pro- jects,
diverse stakeholders created in 2005 to share information and work together on farm animal care and welfare. It is the national lead for farm animal care issues in Canada. NFACC would like to acknowledge the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) for their role in secur- ing funding for this project. For more informa- tion about NFACC, visit
www.nfacc.ca.
About Equine Canada
• write clearly to ensure ease of reading, under- standing and implementation, and
• provide a document that is useful for all stake- holders.
“Equine Canada advocates the humane treat- ment of all horses, donkeys and mules, and believes that the equine industry and owners have a responsibility to provide humane care,” stated Dr. Mary Bell, Co-Chair, Equine Canada Health and Welfare Committee. “The updated Code of Practice for Horses will provide guidelines to assist in improving an animal’s quality of life from birth through death.”
Caroline Ramsay has been contracted by NFACC as the Equine Code Development Secre- tary and will facilitate the work of the Equine Code Development Committee. Caroline has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia. She is an articling agrologist and her work experience includes drafting stan- dards and serving as a liaison for a farm animal welfare certification program.
For more information about Code of Practice for Horses renewal, e-mail
equinecode@equinecanada.ca or visit
http://doiop.com/ec_code_e .
About NFACC NFACC is a collaborative partnership of
Park Lane Ranch - Sandy Zelmer 905-936-2658 or
szelmer@sympatico.ca www.parklaneranch.ca
Equine Canada is Canada’s national gov- erning body for equestrianism. A member-driven, charitable institu- tion, it is the executive branch of the Canadian Equestrian Team, and the national authority for equestrian competition; the national voice for recreational riders; and the national association for equine welfare, breed- ing, and industry. Equine Canada is recognized by the Government of Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national organization representing equestrian sport and equine interests. For more information about Equine Canada, please visit
www.equinecanada.ca.
Code of Practice updates initi- ated from 2010 to 2013 are part of
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the project: Addressing Domestic and Interna- tional Market Expectations Relative to Farm Animal Welfare. Funding for this project is being made available through the AgriFlexibili- ty, a program delivered in Canada’s Economic Action Plan (EAP). The EAP focuses on strengthening the economy and securing Cana- da’s economic future. For more information on AgriFlexibility and Canada’s Economic Action Plan, please visit
www.agr.gc.ca/agriflexibility and
www.actionplan.gc.ca.
“The Code of Practice for Horses was last updated in 1998 and given the dramatic increase in the number of horses in Canada at the recreational, sport and agricultural levels, as well as the techni-
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