MONTREAL – Humane Society International/Canada has just completed its 18th free veterinary clinic in partnership with Friends of HSI and Chiots Nordiques (northern puppies). The veterinary response team was in Chisasibi – their third visit to date – where dedicated veterinarians, animal health technicians and volunteers examined, treated, sterilized and/or vaccinated a total of 115 animals.
Chisasibi, a Cree community located over 1,400 km north of Montreal, has become a model for effective animal management in remote First Nations regions that don’t have access to veterinary services. Gone unchecked, stray and wandering dog populations can grow and can lead to malnutrition, untreated injuries, parasites and other health challenges. This free clinic, done at the community’s request, is designed to help manage overpopulation while fostering improved coexistence between residents and animals without resorting to culls.
Ewa Demianowicz, senior campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: “The community of Chisasibi has been proactively working in managing its companion animal population and each time we visit them, we witness the tremendous impact their actions and initiatives are having on animal welfare. Not only do they regularly request help to provide veterinary services to their pets, which are not accessible in the region, but they have also put in place an animal welfare by-law and an animal shelter. We are extremely honoured to work with Chiots Nordiques and the community of Chisasibi to ensure the welfare and health of the community’s companion animals.”
Dr. Daphnée Veilleux-Lemieux, President – Chiots Nordiques, added: “The objective of this clinic was to maintain an annual partnership with a community whose approach to controlling canine populations is a model of innovation, delivering results while respecting local needs – all despite geography, temperature and funding constraints. A team of about ten volunteers took part in this clinic, which was teamwork at its finest.”
Remote Indigenous communities in Canada often lack access to veterinary services, leading to overpopulation of stray and roaming dogs. HSI/Canada works with Chiots Nordiques in remote Quebec communities to provide mass sterilization, vaccination and emergency veterinary services for such animals. Since 2013, the two groups have treated over 2,000 dogs in First Nation communities.
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Media Contact: Christopher Paré, Director of Communications – o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
Animal welfare groups, marine scientists, politicians, and millions of Canadians celebrate historic win for marine animals
Humane Society International / Canada
OTTAWA – Canada has passed legislation that bans keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity for entertainment, as well as the trade, possession, capture and breeding of cetaceans. Today, the House of Commons voted overwhelmingly in favour of Bill S-203, the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act.
Bill S-203 was introduced by Senator Wilfred Moore in 2015, and then sponsored by Senator Murray Sinclair. Upon passage through the Senate, it was championed by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May in the House of Commons.
Rebecca Aldworth, Executive Director of HSI/Canada stated: “The passage of Bill S-203 is a watershed moment in the protection of marine animals and a victory for all Canadians. Whales and dolphins don’t belong in tanks, and the inherent suffering these highly social and intelligent animals endure in intensive confinement can no longer be tolerated. We congratulate the sponsors of this bill and the Canadian government for showing strong leadership in responding to public will and sound science on this critical issue.”
Green Party Leader and Saanich – Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May stated, “Canadians have been clear, they want the cruel practice of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity to end. With the passage of Bill S-203, we have ensured that this will happen.”
Bill sponsor Senator Wilfred Moore said, “We have a moral obligation to phase out the capture and retention of animals for profit and entertainment. Canadians are calling upon us to do better – and we have listened.”
Leading marine scientist Hal Whitehead added, “The living conditions for captive marine mammals cannot compare to their natural ocean environments in size, nor in quality. We thank the federal government and all those involved in the passage of Bill S-203, so that our laws can finally align with the Canadian peoples’ values and end this cruel practice.”
HSI is at the forefront of a global movement to end the captivity of cetaceans for entertainment. HSI/Canada has been a central part of a broad coalition of key stakeholders, including organizations, scientists and parliamentarians, working to ensure the passage of Bill S-203.
Facts:
A coalition of over 20 leading marine scientists and stakeholder organizations have endorsed Bill S-203. Bill S-203 was supported by Humane Society International/Canada, Animal Justice, Humane Canada, marine scientists Dr. Lori Marino and Dr. Naomi Rose of the Whale Sanctuary Project, Ontario Captive Animal Watch, Phil Demers, the former head trainer at Marineland, World Animal Protection, Dr. David Suzuki, the Jane Goodall Institute, and more.
Bill S-203 phases out the captivity of cetaceans (i.e. whales, dolphins and porpoises) in Canada, except for rescues, rehabilitation, licensed scientific research, or cetaceans’ best interests.
Leading marine scientists agree that whales and dolphins suffer great psychological and physical harms in captivity, including isolation, chronic health problems, abnormal behaviour, high infant mortality and extreme boredom.
Currently, only two facilities in the country house cetaceans – the Vancouver Aquarium, and Marineland in Niagara Falls. Now, these facilities will no longer be able to breed or import any new cetaceans into their facilities.
We thank the key Parliamentarians and staffers who championed and sponsored this legislation: MP Elizabeth May, Senator Wilfred Moore, Senator Murray Sinclair, MP Fin Donnelly, MP Gord Johns, Senator Peter Harder, Senator Dan Christmas, MP Nathan Cullen, MP Sean Casey, MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP Mario Beaulieu, MP Monique Pauzé, MP Nick Whalen, MP Will Amos, Senator Elizabeth Hubley, Senator Janis Johnson, Senator Mary Jane McCallum, Steve Parkinson, Martin McKendry, Archie Campbell, and many more.
Media Contact: Christopher Paré, Director of Communications – o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation, farm animal welfare and animals in research. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International which, together with its partners, constitutes one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at www.hsicanada.ca
Lions, tigers, zebras, camels, kangaroos, bears and many other animals to be cared for, transported and placed by HSI affiliates
Humane Society International / Canada
One of more than a hundred animals HSI is providing care for at a roadside zoo (Zoo St. Edouard) in Quebec during a Montreal SPCA Criminal Code seizure on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The zoo operator was arrested and charged with criminal cruelty and neglect. Photo by HSI.
ST-ÉDOUARD-DE-MASKINONGÉ, CANADA – Humane Society International/Canada, Friends of HSI, and HSI global — with the generous support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation — are working alongside the Montreal SPCA in the seizure of animals from a roadside zoo in St-Édouard-de-Maskinongé, Quebec. The owner of the unaccredited facility, Zoo de St-Edouard, has been arrested and charged with neglect and cruelty to animals under the Canadian Criminal Code. If convicted, the accused could face a five-year prison sentence and a lifetime ban on having custody or control of any animal.
Experts from HSI’s Canadian and global affiliates will provide specialized care for more than 200 wild and exotic comprising dozens of different species as of the date of the seizure, as well as transport of all wild animals to a network of partner sanctuaries throughout North America. A number of the animals are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of HSI/Canada, stated, “We are pleased to play a critical role in getting these deserving animals to safety, with the incredible support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation. It was disturbing to see this facility. Many of the animals were confined in dark, barren, dilapidated enclosures. Others were living with entirely inadequate shelter with minimal protection from the elements. Some of the animals did not even appear to have access to water or proper food and appeared to be suffering from a variety of medical conditions. Some of the animals were showing signs of significant psychological distress including compulsive, constant pacing. Notably, dead and ill animals have been removed or seized from this property in recent months. This case underscores the importance of strong animal welfare provisions in Canada’s Criminal Code, particularly as they apply to situations of gross neglect.”
Eric Margolis, founder of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, said, “Our foundation supports organizations that provide care for abused, neglected and abandoned animals, both wild and domesticated. We will always support the work of organizations like HSI/Canada and Friends of HSI, who defend those who cannot defend themselves.”
HSI/Canada has campaigned for over a decade to achieve meaningful improvements to the animal welfare provisions in Canada’s Criminal Code. One of the primary deficiencies in the Criminal Code is the need for enforcement authorities to prove willfulness on the part of neglectful owners before they are able to lay criminal charges and seize animals. This results in protracted suffering and can prevent appropriate application of the Criminal Code in situations of neglect.
This crucial work was made possible through the generous support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, which has worked in partnership with Friends of HSI and HSI/Canada for years to rescue thousands of animals from situations of cruelty and neglect.
FACTS
HSI has decades of experience in mass animal rescue, care and placement, including with wild and exotic animals.
The care, transport and placement of wild and exotic animals is highly specialized and HSI/Canada, Friends of HSI and our global affiliates will carry this work out over several weeks.
The roadside zoo in question has a long history of warnings and charges from the provincial government.
The Montreal SPCA performed its first inspection of the facility in August 2018. In addition to noting several offenses regarding the physical state of the animals and their living conditions, SPCA officers seized two alpacas in particularly poor condition as well as the bodies of four animals found deceased on site, including two tigers. This intervention led to the criminal charges.
The owner was charged with two counts of criminal animal neglect and cruelty, covering the timeframe 2016-2018. According to the Montreal SPCA, this is the first time in Quebec that animal welfare charges have been laid by way of indictment, a type of prosecution reserved for the most serious offenses and which opens the door to more serious penalties.
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Media Contact: Christopher Paré – office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation, farm animal welfare and animals in research. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International which, together with its partners, constitutes one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsicanada.ca
Friends of HSI is a registered charitable organization working to protect animals through public education and awareness, rescue, sheltering, provision of veterinary services and other direct care programs. We are proud to be part of the Humane Society International family of global affiliates, which together comprise one of the largest and most effective animal protection groups in the world. On the Web at friendsofhsi.ca
The Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation was born out of a love of animals, humanity and nature. The foundation has been established to support and nurture these vital elements, with a threefold mandate: 1) to support organizations worldwide, who provide a natural sanctuary for abused, neglected and abandoned animals, both wild and domesticated, 2) to support the advocacy work of organizations worldwide, who rally for more stringent animal cruelty laws and subsequent penalties, and 3) to support organizations worldwide, whose main focus is to help animals, both wild and domesticated, who may be in immediate distress. Eric and Dana Margolis share a passion for animals and their wellbeing. This passion forms the basis of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation.
Humane Society International / Europe
BRUSSELS—Humane Society International celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the historic European Union ban on trade in commercial seal products. The EU ban, a watershed event in the global campaign to stop commercial sealing, was adopted by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament on 5th May 2009.
The impact of the EU ban — and of the many other seal product trade prohibitions that followed — is undeniable. Prices paid for seal fur in Atlantic Canada have declined by more than 70%, while 90% of licensed commercial sealers no longer participate in the slaughter because it is not profitable for them to do so. As a result, more than 3 million seals have been spared a horrible fate in the past decade alone. International prohibitions on the seal product trade contain clear exemptions for products of indigenous seal hunts.
Rebecca Aldworth, executive director for HSI/Canada, said: “Ten years ago, I watched firsthand as the European Parliament voted to prohibit commercial trade in seal products. In the minutes before the vote, images of so many suffering and dying baby seals kept flashing through my mind. When the vote was in, I knew that the beginning of the end of this brutal industry had just happened. As someone who has observed commercial sealing for 18 years, I will be forever grateful to the EU for its moral leadership and for saving so many seals from a horrible fate.”
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for HSI/Europe, added: “The adoption of the EU Regulation on trade in seal products was certainly an amazing landmark victory for animal protection, but this was not the end of the story. In the years that followed, the legislation was subjected to and, most importantly, withstood separate spurious legal challenges in the European Courts and at the World Trade Organization. Most importantly, the WTO Appellate Body ruled that, while the legislation needed tweaking, the EU was justified in banning the cruel products of commercial seal hunts on the grounds of public morality. By 2015, I found myself back in the European Parliament talking about seals again as a legislative proposal to amend the ban to make it fully compliant with WTO rules was considered by MEPs. Yet again, the seal product trade ban survived cynical attempts from opponents to water it down and thankfully the EU’s borders remain firmly shut to commercial seal products.”
FACTS
In 2009, the European Parliament voted 550 to 49 in favor of a strong ban on trade in products of commercial seal hunts. In 2010, the EU ban came into force.
The commercial seal hunt in Atlantic Canada has been the largest slaughter of marine mammals on earth, with hundreds of thousands of seal pups clubbed and shot to death each year.
The seals are killed primarily for their fur. The Canadian government notes that the pelts of young seals are the most valuable and not surprisingly, more than 98% of the seals killed each year are less than three months of age.
The commercial seal hunt in Atlantic Canada is conducted by commercial fishermen who, on average, earn a tiny fraction (less than 5%) of their annual incomes from killing seals. Today, only a few hundred fishermen participate in the annual slaughter.
Harp seals—the primary targets of the Atlantic Canadian commercial seal hunt—are ice-breeding animals, and climate change is fast destroying their sea ice habitat. According to Garry Stenson, section head for marine mammals for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, “We’re seeing two things: fewer animals pupping and when they do, there is a high mortality with it…The ice isn’t thick and it breaks up before the animal can survive on its own… We’ve been seeing years where ice mortality is very high. We’ve seen dead pups that have drowned. It has a big impact on mortality.”
To date, more than 37 countries—including the 28 Member States of the European Union—have prohibited trade in products of commercial seal hunts for conservation or animal welfare reasons.
Canada and Norway challenged the EU ban at the World Trade Organization. In 2013, the WTO upheld the right of the EU to ban the trade in commercial seal products on the grounds of public morality. In 2014, the WTO considered an appeal to that ruling. Although the WTO Appellate Body, once again, ruled largely in favour of the EU, the EU agreed to make minor amendments to the ban to achieve full compliance to WTO rules before 18th October 2015
The WTO ruling in seals set a legal precedent because it was the very first time that animal welfare has been recognised by the WTO as a legitimate public moral concern.
In September 2015, the European Court of Justice rejected an appeal brought by commercial sealing interests and some Inuit representatives with regard to the EU ban on trade in seal products. This appeal concerns a 2013 decision by the European General Court, which rejected the appellants’ request to find the legal basis and implementing measures for the EU ban on commercial seal product trade unlawful.
In October 2013, the Court of Justice of the European Union preserved the EU ban on commercial seal product trade by dismissing an appeal by commercial sealing and fur trade interests and some Inuit representatives. The appeal sought to overturn a 2011 decision from the European General Court that the applicants’ action against the EU ban was inadmissible.
A separate application to have the EU seal product trade ban overturned was rejected in April 2010.
Over 130 animals sterilized in humane animal management program for remote First Nations communities
Humane Society International / Canada
MONTREAL – Humane Society International/Canada recently completed its 17th free veterinary clinic in partnership with Friends of HSI and Chiots Nordiques (northern puppies). The veterinary response team examined, treated, sterilized and/or vaccinated 162 animals during its deployment (162 animals examined, 133 sterilizations – 128 dogs and 5 cats).
Matimekush, an Innu community located over 1,100 km north of Montreal, has struggled with street dog overpopulation for years. Many animals there suffer from malnutrition, untreated injuries, parasites and other veterinary health challenges. The free veterinary clinic, conducted at the community’s request, was designed to help manage stray and roaming dog populations while fostering improved coexistence between residents and animals.
Ewa Demianowicz, senior campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: “Helping Matimekush humanely manage its stray and wandering dog population is our primary goal, as this community is very isolated and has been struggling with animal welfare issues. Since December, every week, dogs have been flown out of the community because of urgent and serious health issues. Our operation, which focused on spaying, neutering and vaccination, will help reduce animal suffering in the long term.”
Dr. Daphnée Veilleux-Lemieux, President – Chiots Nordiques, added: “We started our mission eight years ago in Matimekush and we were excited to be back in this community where the need for veterinary services is crucial. Our team of volunteers did an amazing job at caring for hundreds of dogs over the last four days and working hard to sterilize and vaccinate 133 animals. This clinic will have tremendous impact on the welfare of the animals and people of Matimekush for years to come.”
Remote indigenous communities in Canada commonly lack access to veterinary services, leading to overpopulation of stray and roaming dogs. HSI/Canada works with Chiots Nordiques in remote communities in Quebec to provide mass sterilization, vaccination and emergency veterinary services for such animals. Since 2013, the groups have treated over 1,000 dogs in First Nation communities.
Media Contact: Christopher Paré, Director of Communications – o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
Humane Society International, Animal Alliance of Canada, Lush Cosmetics and 81% of Canadians call for swift passage of the bill by Parliament
Humane Society International / Canada
OTTAWA — Canada is positioned to become the world’s 40th country to prohibit cosmetic testing involving animals following today’s introduction of the Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (Bill S-214) into the House of Commons. The bill was passed by the Senate and has been introduced by Conservative Shadow Minister for Health Marilyn Gladu. The bill is a product of years of advocacy led by Humane Society International, Animal Alliance of Canada and Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, with backing from more than 750,000 Canadians from coast to coast.
The Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act was first introduced in June 2015 by Conservative Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen in close cooperation with HSI Canada and Animal Alliance. HSI has also been at the forefront of the global public policy shift toward cruelty-free cosmetics, spearheading legal reforms in the European Union, India, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Guatemala, and most recently Australia, with similar legislation in development in the United States, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, Sri Lanka and elsewhere.
Troy Seidle, HSI Vice President of Research & Toxicology, said: “As a proud Canadian I could not be more pleased to see my country move a step closer to becoming a cruelty-free beauty market. In 2019, with the vast array of established cosmetic ingredients and animal-free approaches to safety assessment, there’s simply no excuse for continued reliance on animal testing for cosmetic products or ingredients.”
Mark and Karen Wolverton, co-owners of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, North America, added: “The time has come to get cruelty out of cosmetics and listen to the 88 percent of Canadians who oppose animal testing for cosmetics. We know that our millions of customers who support Bill S-214 will take this issue with them to the polls this fall and will elect leaders who legislate on their behalf. We believe that animal testing for cosmetics is not acceptable or relevant and perpetuates the suffering of animals.”
Liz White, director of Animal Alliance of Canada, added: “We urge the Canadian government to act quickly and pass this crucial legislation to prevent any more animals from suffering needlessly. We look forward to working with officials to see Canada join other nations in taking a stand against cruel cosmetics by enacting the Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act.”
Gladu added: “Protecting animals has always been a cause that I care deeply about and I am pleased to sponsor this bill so MPs can debate this important issue.”
Polling by The Strategic Counsel on behalf of Animal Alliance of Canada and HSI found that 88 percent of Canadians agree that testing new cosmetics is not worth the animals’ pain and suffering, and 81 percent would support a national ban on animal testing of cosmetics and their ingredients.
For interviews and more information, please call or email media contact below.
Media contacts:
Humane Society International/Canada: Christopher Paré, o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics: Eva Cook, 604-562-4428, email: pr@lush.com
Humane Society International / Canada
MONTREAL – HSI/Canada is calling on the BC provincial government to take immediate action in stopping all ‘wildlife killing contests’ across the province and enact the necessary legislation to make any and all future contests illegal.
In wildlife killing contests, contestants pay a fee and compete for cash and prizes to see who can kill the most or the largest animals in a specified period of time. Awarding prizes for competitive and indiscriminate killing of animals is unethical and inconsistent with respecting the important role each species plays in our ecosystem.
Julie MacInnes, wildlife campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: “These contests permit some of the most inhumane and cruel methods to kill our iconic and sentient wildlife. These bloodlust traditions need to be banned – rather than ignored, or worse, encouraged in 2019. Wolves and cougars are critical to increasing biodiversity and maintaining healthy ecosystems.”
Wildlife killing contests are unscientific, inherently inhumane, and go against the ethics of most Canadians. In BC, 94% of residents oppose trophy hunting. In the interest of creating a more humane society, HSI/Canada urges the BC Government to react swiftly and decisively by suspending any current wildlife killing contests and to take concrete steps towards making such contests illegal.
Facts:
In Williams Lake, until March 31, contestants can pay $20 to enter a ‘wolf-whacking contest’. As per the rules, hunters take photos of their wolf kills with time stamps or they can bring in the ‘critter’s head and hide.’ The person or team with the most kills wins the ‘grand prize.’
In another contest, hosted by the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club (held March 16 to 24), contestants pay a $10 entry fee and there are cash prizes for those who have accumulated the most points. Points are won depending on which of the target species is killed. Target species include wolves, coyotes, cougars and raccoons.
To kill the most animals, participants are often encouraged to use high-tech weapons and other equipment like electronic calling devices, which lure animals in for an easy kill by mimicking the sounds of a fellow animal in distress. Hounds and GPS collars could also be used, in addition to cruel snares and traps.
Countless animals are left injured, and dependent young may be orphaned during these events, left to die from starvation, predation or exposure. Once the prizes are awarded, the bodies of the animals are often discarded as trash.
HSI/Canada sent an open letter to the BC government to ban wildlife killing contests, in coalition with 54 wildlife, conservation, and animal welfare specialists and organizations.
There is growing awareness that these cruel tournaments must be outlawed across North America. In the U.S., California was the first state to institute a ban on wildlife killing contests in 2014. In 2017, Maryland placed a moratorium on cruel aquatic killing contests for cownose rays in the Chesapeake Bay. In 2018, Vermont banned coyote killing contests. In 2019, bills are currently pending to ban wildlife killing contests in the states of New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin and New Mexico and Arizona’s wildlife agency is contemplating regulations that would ban wildlife killing contests.
Media Contact: Christopher Paré – office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
Humane Society International / Canada
Ask Canadian politicians to shut down the country’s factory fur farms.
Humane Society International/Canada expresses grave concerns regarding Canada’s new animal transportation regulations
Humane Society International / Canada
MONTREAL – Humane Society International/Canada is expressing its severe disappointment with the long-awaited amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations (Humane Transportation), published today in the Canada Gazette, Part II. The new animal transportation regulations fall far short of addressing the most serious risks to animal welfare, and will not fulfill their stated goal of ensuring that animals are treated humanely while transported between farms, slaughterhouses, auction markets and elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the regulations still allow hundreds of millions of animals to be transported for up to 72 hours without food, water or rest, depending on the species. Moreover, there are no meaningful requirements to protect animals from inclement weather, and only vague instructions for proper animal handling techniques and appropriate space allowances.
Riana Topan, campaign manager for farm animal welfare with HSI/Canada, stated: “Canadians strongly oppose animal suffering, and it is extremely disappointing that the CFIA continues to cater to the interests of the industries it is supposed to regulate, rather than the views of the public it represents. These new laws will do little to stop millions of animals from arriving dead, dying or injured at slaughterhouses each year because transport conditions will continue to be very poor.”
Animal advocates have long called on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to improve animal transport laws and bring them in line with those of Canada’s trading partners, such as the European Union and the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Moreover, instead of ensuring that Canada’s regulations are informed by scientific research, the updated laws appear to have been influenced by livestock industry lobbyists who strongly opposed any changes to the regulations. In fact, investigations into the CFIA’s internal review process revealed that industry representatives fought hard to ensure that maximum allowable transportation times were not significantly reduced, even though CFIA staff recognized shorter times to be better for animals.
Topan continued: “Approximately 800 million farm animals will be transported in Canada at some point this year, and for each of these animals, transportation will be one of the most stressful experiences they are forced to endure. It is unacceptable that laws designed to protect animals have remained mostly unchanged since they were last updated in 1977. Canada has missed an important opportunity to bring its regulations in line with the best available scientific evidence, which shows that animals should not be transported for more than eight hours without a break.”
Media Contact: Christopher Paré – office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
MP Fin Donnelly, Humane Society International/Canada, marine scientists, and the family of the late Rob Stewart urge Members of Parliament to pass Bill S-238
Humane Society International / Canada
OTTAWA – Canada has passed the halfway mark in prohibiting the trade of shark fins with Member of Parliament Fin Donnelly tabling Bill S-238, the Ban on Shark Fin Trade Act, into the House of Commons today. The Bill, introduced by Senator Michael MacDonald in 2017, passed by an overwhelming margin by the Senate in late October.
Conservationists, marine scientists, animal welfare advocates, and the family of filmmaker Rob Stewart are calling on the federal government to pass this bill as a matter of urgency.
Julie MacInnes, wildlife campaign manager for Humane Society International/Canada, stated: “Since 2011, five federal Private Members Bills have been introduced that would ban the trade in shark fins; over just these past eight years, nearly one billion sharks have been butchered and killed for their fins. The sharks – and the ocean ecosystems that depend on them – do not have another election to wait. We are urging MPs to support S-238 and stop this destructive practise once and for all.”
The bill’s House sponsor, MP Fin Donnelly, stated: “Members of Parliament and the Canadian government must act swiftly on this urgent matter to ensure Canada plays a key role in protecting sharks globally, which are vital to sustain ocean ecosystems.”
Brian and Sandy Stewart, parents of the late Rob Stewart, issued the following statement: “We are grateful to MP Fin Donnelly and Senator MacDonald for their leadership in sponsoring this Bill and standing up for ocean conservation. Bill S-238 is an important step towards ending Canadian trade in shark fins. We urge the federal government and Members of Parliament to listen to the overwhelming majority of Canadians who support ending the trade of shark fins in Canada.”
Marine scientist Dr. Dirk Steinke, added: “There is scientific consensus that sharks are among the most threatened wildlife worldwide, which makes this all the more disconcerting. We are hopeful that Canada will take the necessary leadership in ending the shark fin trade.”
The proposed legislation was amended in the Senate so that it prohibits not only the import of shark fins into Canada, but also prohibits their export. Bill S-238 now awaits debate and a vote at Second Reading.
Facts:
Shark finning is the practice of cutting off a shark’s fin and discarding the animal at sea to die a slow and painful death. It is an exceptionally cruel and ecologically reckless practice that puts entire ocean ecosystems at risk.
HSI/Canada has campaigned to end the shark fin trade for more than a decade. Globally, HSI has been at the forefront of a powerful movement to protect sharks and stop the trade of their fins through education, outreach, and legislative efforts.
Every year, up to 100 million sharks are killed to satisfy global demand for their fins and their parts, threatening one-third of open ocean sharks with extinction. Every single hour, over 11,000 sharks are killed in the gruesome international shark fin trade.
As an apex predator, sharks hold the oceans in balance and their extinction would have significant effects on all other marine species.
Sharks grow slowly, mature late, and have relatively low rates of reproduction, making their populations highly vulnerable to the impacts of overfishing.
Media Contact: Christopher Paré – office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org
