crystal mackay - cleaning up the bad actors

Ontario Farm Animal CouncilCrystal Mackay

April 2010

Not this kind!

Farm leaders decided to work together.

Six in Canada today: Ontario, Manitoba, B.C.,

Saskatchewan, Alberta, National

OFAC Strategy HighlightsOFAC Strategy Highlights

1. Identify, monitor and respond to issues and questions.

2. Work with industry partners to do the right thing.

3. Tell people about it.

• Oct 3 – Nov 14, 2007: A Humane Society of the United States investigator videotapes workers abusing downed animals for 6 weeks

• June 20, 2008: Pen manager pleads guilty to 2 counts of felony animal cruelty and 2 misdemeanor counts of cruelty

Hallmark Westland Meats

Bad news maker… Bad news maker…

“It was standing room only in a hearing yesterday of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the U.S. House of Representatives’. As the HSUS undercover video rolled, people turned away, teared up and gasped under their breath.”

1. What’s good for the animals?2. What’s good for the wallet?3. What’s good for the industry?

Don’t have anything on your operation that Don’t have anything on your operation that you wouldn’t be proud to see on the you wouldn’t be proud to see on the news or YouTube. news or YouTube.

1. Is there an issue?

2. Do you want to do something about it?

3. What approach to take?◦Who and what are you dealing with?

Unaware – uninformed People issues Animal lovers Avoiders Procrastinators Almighty dollar followers Jerks

It’s really about It’s really about the people.the people.

Everett Rogers Diffusion Everett Rogers Diffusion of Innovation modelof Innovation model

1. Innovators: I designed my own last year.

2. Early Adoptors: I saw this on a Canadian website already.

3. Early Majority: I got this in the mail…

4. Late Majority: My neighbor told me…

5. Laggards: Make me.

Laggards: 16%

Customer demands – market access restriction, fines

Peer visits and education

Authoritative visits and direct approach

Enforcement, regulations, charges

Too many sub-standard pigs coming to processing plants in Ontario

Deadstock services difficult to get in some areas; cost $35 per pig

Ontario Pork implemented $50 fee for any animals euthanized at the plant, with a 90 day “education” phase first

Similar program with sales barns – Problem: not a consistent fine system

Dear ____,

We euthanized an animal you shipped to ___ on March 24, 2010. Here is a picture of that animal.

The on-site veterinarian determined the following:

Manitoba: Provincial Ministry of Agriculture staff veterinarians field farm animal care calls with animal health/welfare legislation www.gov.mb.ca

Saskatchewan: The Farm Stress Line and Livestock Care Service www.facs.sk.ca

OFAC Animal Care HelplineOFAC Animal Care Helpline

• Confidential farmer helping farmer approach • Not for emergencies or cruelty/abuse• No legal authority – just ‘helpful’ approach

•Good for the animals, the farmer and the industry.

Animal Care Helpline Animal Care Helpline ProtocolProtocolWhen a call comes in:

• Details of complaint/concern• Name of caller – call back request

Is it a Helpline call?

• laws broken? Forward to …• species we deal with?• neighbour dispute? • educate the caller?

OFAC Animal Care HelplineOFAC Animal Care Helpline

1. If it’s a Helpline Call:Concern forwarded to the appropriate commodity group minus the caller details

2. Who makes the visit? • Producer Animal Care reps (one lead)• Field staff• Local producer volunteers

3. Report & follow up

16-30 Helpline Visits per year 20-50 additional calls fielded per year

Budget: $0 hard costs to OFAC; Staff time to field the calls & follow up to callers

Cost of visits covered by the farm groups involved

Calls go to and from the OSCPA

100 visits & meetings in 2009:◦ Sales barns, processing

plants ◦ Producer meetings ◦ Helpline calls◦ Farm-animal training with

OSPCA inspectors

ALERT has an on-call veterinarian who provides knowledgeable counsel.

ALERT is available for self-reportingALERT works with Alberta SPCA and RCMP.

www.afac.ab.ca

2009 TOTAL Cases 188

Information Calls 184 Repeat calls 28

“Helpline” not “Hotline”◦Farmer helping farmer approach

Confidentiality is critical. The right people for the job. Just do it.

Every call is an opportunityTo help – the people, the animals

To educate – the caller, the farmer

To show we care.

If you want to drive change If you want to drive change – get out of the back of the – get out of the back of the truck.truck.

If not you If not you – then – then who?who?

www.ofac.org