Farm Girl Friday -23 March 2012

Farm Girl Friday again.  Today’s post isn’t about our farm.  It’s about the dire situation of farms in Ontario.  Right now we are under constant threat of invasion by the SPCA.  They have more power than the police!  They don’t need search warrants, they alone decide if you are guilty, and they make up the fines.  Most have no real training for dealing with farm animals, they are used to cats and dogs.  Also, it seems a conflict of interest that most of their funding comes from the fines that they get to lay at their discretion.  They also seem to be in cahoots with the large factory farms because you rarely hear the SPCA raiding one of them, instead they raid the little guys that can’t fight back.

So if you love family farms and you love being able to buy meat raised properly and not factory farmed, call your MPP.  DEMAND that they support Bill 47.  It’s time small farmers got some protection too.

What does Bill 47 propose? The following is a list of key changes to the OSPCA Act, 2012 proposed by Bill 47:

• Separate the inspections to ensure animal welfare against abuse into (a) farm animal inspections and (b) non-farm animal inspections
• Farm animal inspections shall be carried out by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
• Non-farm animal inspections shall be carried out by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA)
• OMAFRA & OSPCA Inspection officers will be the first response to complaints and will be limited to observing, advising, educating and writing reports on visits made.
• The Chief Inspector will be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of provincial cabinet to ensure accountability
• Inspectors will no longer have the power of a police officer and will not be able to inspect without the permission of the land owner, unless in the case of an animal welfare emergency
• The bill clarifies an inspector’s role in educating and advising animal owners and custodians with respect to the proper care and treatment of animals.
• Abused animal removal will only be done with the recommendation of a veterinarian and then sanctioned by a justice of the peace.  The animal owner will have the right to accept the veterinarian that is called to examine the animal and make this decision, or the animal owner can choose their own.  However, the right to choose the veterinarian does not apply in emergency situations.
• OSPCA will no longer be able to invoice animal owners.
• Only the police will be able to lay charges under the Provincial Offences Act or the Criminal Code of Canada.