WELFARE - Public Input Needed on Rabbit Codes of Practice

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) began the revision process of the Codes of Practice for Rabbits in February 2015.

The Codes of Practice are guidelines for the care and handling of farm animals in Canada.

They serve as a national understanding of animal care requirements and recommended practices.

The Codes are educational tools, reference materials for regulations and the foundation for farm animal care assessment programs.

The next step in the revision of the Codes of Practice for Rabbits is public comment.

You can provide feedback on the NFACC website.

Priority welfare issues for rabbits include:

• Housing and Facilities
• Pen and cage design
• Welfare issues and benefits to group and individual housing
• Health and behavioural aspects of enrichments
• Feed and water management
• Quality
• Quantity
• Nutritional needs
• Hay/fibre
• Health management
• Recognizing abnormal behaviour, sickness, pain and fearfulness
• Tools to measure animal stress and management practices that decrease animal stress
• Welfare issues that lead to adverse conditions, high disease and mortality rates
• Reproduction
• Artificial insemination
• Productivity/doe management
• Weaning and kit management
• Pre-transport
• Feed and water withdrawal  
• Loading density
• Containers
• Euthanasia and on-farm slaughter
• Signs of insensibility and death
• Methods
• When to euthanize.

Since 2009 seven Codes have been updated and released through the NFACC process.

Three other Codes are in the process of being updated: bison, poultry-layers, and veal cattle.

Visit www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice for details and a timeline outlining the steps and progress made on the various Codes.

2015 Summit Forum: Compassion Fatigue

From volunteers to veterinarians, literature shows the Urban Animal industry is experiencing ‘care/compassion fatigue’ sometimes with deadly consequences. Does imperial evidence exist to define the magnitude of the problem and the possible solutions?

Sarah Hylton-Foster created a website to help people understand compassion fatigue. The ASPCA has also provided resources for people working in the pet industry. It is designed to help people understand the signs of compassion fatigue and provides resources to help people overcome it.

Can a strategy be developed that solves this dilemma across an entire industry? Can the urban animal industry build emotional intelligence and resilience for human resources that eliminates critical interventions and removes this blight from professional careers?

Get the facts, have your say, move the industry.

If you are interested in participating at the 2015 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies please contact Shannon Woodward, Urban Animal Program Manager. 

Recommended Changes to Minneapolis Animal-Related Ordinances

Council Member Andrew Johnson of Minneapolis believes that changes in the city’s animal-related ordinances will be beneficial and a “huge step for those who care about animal issues.” Johnson worked on recommendations with Minneapolis Animal Care and Control officials and Citizens for Minneapolis Animal Care. The recommendations help define the responsibilities of pet owners and the city shelter.

                               

Minneapolis does not allow residents to own reptiles but these recommendations may allow reptiles as licensed pets. Rabbits are currently licensed pets but that may no longer be necessary. Ferrets will still require licenses due to their requirement for up-to-date rabies vaccinations.

Some of the recommendations support practices that are currently being developed. The city shelter has been fostering relationships with other rescue organizations in order to reduce the number of animals being euthanized. Minneapolis Animal Control Deputy Director, Caroline Hairfield said, “Our goal is to be able to adopt or transfer to other facilities all animals who are healthy and placeable in the sense of being mentally and physically treatable.”

Johnson also wants the city to change the way wild animals are euthanized. Currently injured wild animals are euthanized in a gas chamber (article did not state which gas is used). Johnson would like wild animals to be euthanized in the same way domestic animals are, by lethal injection.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Nova Scotia SPCA Adresses NDP Caucus

Kristin Williams, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia SPCA, addressed the NDP Caucus on July 18 to express their need for increased support.

Williams shared her concern that their request for core funding was declined by the provincial government and asked the NDP to increase their support beyond the $3,000 they pledge yearly. The Society relies on donations to fund animal cruelty investigations and animal care for the province and must raise over $1 million dollars annually.

The Nova Scotia SPCA has dramatically increased its scope as demand for service has increased, saving over 8,000 animals last year.

Read the News Release

View the Nova Scotia SPCA Presentation