Thursday, July 16, 2020

Ontario to restrict deer-farm imports

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is planning to regulate the movement of farmed deer into, through, and within Ontario.

“This is something the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has been advocating for and is a major accomplishment in the fight to keep Chronic Wasting Disease out of Ontario. All OFAH members should be proud knowing their voice drove this change, the OFAH said.

Chronic Wasting Disease, which has a similar impact on deer as Mad Cow’s Disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) has on cattle, has been an issue on deer farms across Western Canada.

The government is also proposing to ban the use of deer material to make lures. 

They are already banned from use in hunting, but are allowed for other uses, such as nature photography.

The government also proposes to increase restrictions on hunters bringing animal parts into the province. The proposal is to allow only cut (butchered) meat, taxidermy mounts, tanned hides and skulls, canine teeth and antlers from which all tissue has been removed.