A reminder from Terry in Havasu...Thanks, Terry!
The requirements posted on the CFIA website state, “Effective July 31, 2010, it will be mandatory for all CFIA inspected facilities in Canada engaged in the slaughter of equines for edible purposes to have complete records for all animals (domestic and imported) presented for slaughter.”
I do not want to sound like a pessimist, but...I spoke with a sale barn on the West Coast and asked how the new EID documentation requirements would affect the auction. The auction owner's reply was that nothing had changed, it is "business as usual."
ReplyDeleteIt appears there are no plans to comply. Who is going to enforce the new regulations - which happen to be full of loopholes as well?
That is a very good question. Let me see what I can find out.
ReplyDeleteCanada's going to have to comply or stop slaughtering horses. This killer may think it'll be business as usual, and they'll try, but without proper documentation they may have a hard time selling horses to Canadian slaughterhouses who are the ones that have to answer to the EU. I doubt the Canadian slaughterhouses are going to want to stockpile/feed US horses for 6 months.
ReplyDeleteThis is NOT an official statement, but I got this response from Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA.)
ReplyDelete"Our read is that they intend to falsify the paperwork. I intend to bring this to EU authorities' attention. I warned them last year that this might happen and asked what they intended to do. They said it was the responsibility of the exporting countries! We will just have to see how it plays out, but we will be reporting the violations."