Ag Insight: Animal rights or animal well-being?

Monday, August 9, 2010

Where animal rightists, such as PETA, believe that animals are not there to be used as food or by humans in any way, farmers and commodity groups say that society has the right to make proper and humane use of animals if they are treated with care

by JIM DALRYMPLE

Animal welfare has been receiving increased publicity over the past several years and agriculture has been under a terrible attack by animal rightists.

Canada's "farm animal welfare infrastructure" has a network of responsible organizations within Canada to address animal welfare issues. The spectrum of animal welfare issues in which it is involved, includes intensive livestock farming practices, humane transportation, humane slaughter, biotechnology and other concerns.

Most consumers have little knowledge of the efforts put forward by producers, industry organizations and the various levels of government to ensure that animals are well cared for. 

A new concern arises from communities wishing to alter bylaws so as to allow for backyard chickens and even goats for milk production. Several cities have now changed bylaws to permit chickens for egg production within city boundaries. These include Vancouver, which has even provided funds for a location where homeowners can drop birds off if they become disillusioned with poultry production. Ottawa, Toronto and other cities are considering altering bylaws to allow backyard birds.

Backyard chickens can pose many problems. There is concern about increased insects, rodents, odours and noise. People knowledgeable in animal and poultry production are also worried about what will happen to hens when they cease production or die. Will they be disposed of in normal garbage? What will happen if a disease outbreak (such as avian influenza) occurs and slaughter becomes mandatory? Would homeowners with a few backyard chickens allow their "pets" to be destroyed?  The entire livestock and poultry industry could be placed in jeopardy.

Dr. Jeff Downey, from the University of Sydney in Australia, has shown that poultry on free range are constantly in fear of attacks from predators. Well run, clean and biosecure modern systems have many benefits for hens as well as consumers.

Animal well-being or animal care is perhaps a better term than animal welfare and animal rights when it relates to livestock and poultry production. Proponents say that society has the right to make proper and humane use of animals and that farmers and commodity groups should ensure that they are treated with care. Animal rightists, led by groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), believe that animals are not there to be used as food or by humans in any way. PETA and similar groups are not promoting kinder treatment of animals; rather, they want the abolition of farm animals and of their use by humans for food, clothing and recreation.

In the United States, David Martasko, Director of Research for the Center for Consumer Freedom, states that "in 2003 PETA had a public approval rating of 73 per cent," and fortunately today it has dropped to 49 per cent.

Here in Canada, the federal government has recently committed $3.4 million to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) and the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) for code development and traceability programs. A number of codes of practice will be revised and additional codes developed. The NFACC will use the revised National Development Process for Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals that was used in developing the code for the dairy industry.

Consumers are confused by the many programs in place advocating animal well-being and degrees of care. In North America and throughout the world, there are many quality assurance schemes in place. These include Freedom Foods, Animal Welfare Approved, SPCA Certified, and Certified Humane.

Many commodities in Canada have developed Animal Care Programs (ACP). Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC), for example, has always had animal care as a priority. For the past 20 years, CFC has collaborated with scientists, industry, governments and humane interest groups to develop guidelines governing poultry welfare. The Canadian Poultry Research Council supports poultry welfare and has established a centre for poultry welfare research.

At the recent Poultry Industry Conference in Guelph, a Global Animal Program was outlined affirming that animals need to be free from suffering and should experience pleasure. This program implies that intensive husbandry systems and procedures cause much suffering, including fear, discomfort, deprivation, malaise, social stress, frustration, boredom and maternal separation. However, outdoor housing would be detrimental to their well-being, particularly in Ontario and Canada with their extreme climate conditions. Biosecurity can also be seriously affected.

Shielding animals from the "suffering" outlined above would provide a level of protection and comfort that no human is provided with. What human today is free from fear, stress and discomfort?

Recent reports from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) are critical of the handling and transport of animals in Canada. However, a code of practice is in place and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and provincial organizations, such as the Ontario Farm Animal Council, have developed programs within each commodity to assure animal care during handling and transport. As processing is consolidated and there are fewer local abattoirs, this issue will become more critical.

Animal well-being has been and will continue to be addressed by producers.
As one farmer says: "If I take good care of them, they will take care of me." BF

J.R. (Jim) Dalrymple is a former Ontario government swine specialist and president of Livestock Technology Services Ltd. in Brighton.