FEBRUARY 2014 THE RIDER /13
Equine Welfare Continued from Page 9.
concept of welfare and management issues of the horse to include also their well-being and related tolerable threshold of pain, suffering or neglect.
horses at Farm & Food Care, there are many par- allels that exist between farm animals,” said Kris- ten Kelderman, Farm Animal Care Coordinator of Farm & Food Care Ontario based in Guelph, Ontario. “Regardless of whether you are taking care of a cow, horse, pig or chicken, good farm animal welfare should be the same across all species.”
Live
Thoroughbred Racing at Fort
Erie Race Track in 2014
Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario, (HBPA), is pleased to advise there will be live thoroughbred racing at Fort Erie Race Track in 2014.
Ontario, the HBPA extends their sincere apprecia- tion to Premier Kathleen Wynne, John Snobelen, and the many others for their commitment to working with the horse racing industry to bring this agreement to fruition. Additional details on the 2014 race season at Fort Erie will be released when available.
For more information please contact: Sue Leslie, President HBPA of Ontario
the race meet at the historic border oval are taking place. Horse people can assist by spreading this positive news and by encouraging fellow horse people to support horse racing at Fort Erie Race Track. It will be essential that we as an industry continue to showcase our commitment to live rac- ing at Fort Erie, to improving the game and grow- ing our fan base. On behalf of thoroughbred horse people in
Meetings to organize, schedule and promote The Board of Directors of the Horsemen’s
was formed to contribute to improvements in farm animal care and welfare. Established in January 2012, Farm & Food Care is the first coalition of its type in Canada and resulted from the amalga- mation of the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC) and Agricultural Groups Concerned about Resources and Environment (AGCare) in order to bring awareness, appreciation, and infor- mation to farmers to help ensure that farm animals are raised in a responsible manner. “While we do not specifically represent
the Care and Handling of Equines, a 92-page doc- ument outlining proper animal care requirements and recommended practices for equine welfare, are available by contacting Equine Canada. The Code can also be viewed or downloaded at:
http://www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/equine. Meanwhile in Ontario, a new organization
enforce guidelines for minimum standards for the welfare of the horse. This would include proper nutrition, appropriate shelter, disease prevention and treatment, humane handling, and when neces- sary, humane euthanasia. Its development was led by an 18-person committee made up of equine owners, caregivers, animal welfare and enforce- ment representatives, researchers, veterinarians and government representatives. A five-person Scientific Committee, which included researchers with expertise in equine behaviour, health and welfare, also aided in its concept. Printed copies of The Code of Practice for
fessional and the individual owner for the health and welfare of horses,” says Jack de Wit, Director with the Equine Canada Board of Directors and Chair of the Code Development Committee. The Code was established to develop and
National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) came together to provide horse owners with updated guidelines for general equine manage- ment with the release of the new Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines. “The code was developed for both the pro-
What’s best for the Horse? Just last year, Equine Canada and the
not have this agreement on the horse side. When people do call our office about horses, we rec- ommend that they call the OSPCA (Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani- mals) directly,” states Kelderman. “The Helpline does not have the mandate or resources to respond to the thousands of calls that the OSPCA does, but is simply another tool for peo- ple to use when they are concerned for an ani- mal’s welfare.”
and should extend beyond our farm gates, says Ecker. “While your horses are being properly cared for, what about the neighbour down the street who has fallen on hard times and is unable to afford sufficient hay to feed his horses?” she asks. “Do we turn a blind eye and hope they’ll be alright until the spring? That the problem will fix itself? All of us have a responsibility to take the necessary steps to prevent a horse from suffer-
Help Prevent Welfare Issues Equine welfare is a human responsibility
Care Helpline to assist farmers with manage- ment-type issues such as thin animals or lack of bedding, but is not meant for legitimate abuse or cases where laws have been broken. “We do not take horse calls, because we do
Farm & Food Care offers a Farm Animal
ing. As they can’t speak, we must speak for them.”
tools is being funded in part through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initia- tive. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of Growing Forward 2 in Ontario. Other partners include: Campbell Cen- tre for the Study of Animal Welfare, Equine
Agriculture and Food, Equine Guelph is devel- oping a ‘Full-Circle-Responsibility’ equine wel- fare educational initiative which stands to benefit the welfare of horses in both the racing and non- racing industries. Development of equine welfare training
newsletter which will deliver monthly welfare tips throughout 2014 and announce tools to aid all horse owners in carrying out their ‘Full-Cir- cle-Responsibility’ to our beloved horses. Visit Equine Guelph’s Welfare Education page at
equineguelph.ca/education/welfare.php In partnership with Ontario Ministry of
To own and care for a horse should be a privi- lege, not a pastime. Equine welfare education is one important key to helping overcome limited mindsets, creating a system of accountably, and ultimately preventing inhumane practice. Sign up at
EquineGuelph.ca for a free e-
Concern for equine welfare is at its highest.
Canada, Farm & Food Care Ontario, Greenhawk Harness & Equestrian Supplies, Omega Alpha Equine, Ontario Equestrian Federation, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Ontario Rac- ing Commission, Ontario Society for the Preven- tion of Cruelty to Animals and Standardbred Canada.
as obvious abuse or neglect, the public is encour- aged to call the OSPCA at 1-888-ONT-SPCA (1- 888-668-7722). The OSPCA service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and all calls are kept confidential. Should the situation be considered a potential safety risk, the public is encouraged to contact their local police or the Ontario Provincial Police.
About Equine Guelph: Equine Guelph is the horse owners’ and care givers’ Centre at the Uni- versity of Guelph. It is a unique partnership dedi- cated to the health and well-being of horses, sup- ported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government - for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further informa- tion, visit
www.EquineGuelph.ca.
Side Bar: For concerns regarding horse welfare such
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