While many farmers are reviling the Ontario Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Ontario Pork board has signed a deal to
help the agency deal with complaints about abuse on pig farms.
The agreement is
that the two organizations “work together when investigating complaints about
animal welfare on swine farms,” the pork board says on its website today.
“This arrangement
addresses both Ontario Pork’s and Ontario SPCA’s responsibilities regarding
animal welfare.
“Under the
agreement, both organizations will work together to address concerns of animal
abuse or neglect.
“Ontario Pork will
provide technical assistance to Ontario SPCA officers in cases where inadequate
animal care may be occurring on swine farms.
“Further, Ontario
Pork and Ontario SPCA have agreed that upon at least 48 hours notice, Ontario
Pork will visit a swine farm in conjunction with Ontario SPCA officers for the
purpose of investigating any complaints or allegations of inadequate animal
care.
“Similarly, Ontario
SPCA has agreed to contact Ontario Pork with at least 48 hours notice, except
in situations where animals are in immediate distress, to arrange a joint
inspection of the licensed farm property.
“Ontario Pork and
Ontario SPCA will host joint education sessions on an annual basis to exchange
information and experiences related to on-farm animal care and Code of Practice
issues.”
The two
organizations have co-operated in the past, most famously when Jim Long’s
hog-breeding operations near London, Ont., were in financial collapse and the
pigs were neglected, dying and in extreme distress.
Long is a now a
high-profile hog-industry commentator and breeding-company employee in the
United States.
The co-operation on
hog-farming issues is a stark contrast with confrontations in Eastern Ontario
over dairy cattle and in Perth County over Mennonites raising dogs.
In the dairy cases,
farmers and the lawyers who represent them have argued that the SPCA officer
involved in laying charges was out of line.
