Thank you very much for giving the Montreal SPCA, Canada's very first animal welfare organization, the opportunity to speak to this very important issue today.
The SPCA is the most active and influential animal protection organization in Quebec, and it strongly opposes the export of horses from Canada for slaughter. We fully support Bill C‑355, as do 18,000 of our supporters in Quebec who have also told their MPs they support this legislative initiative.
Attitudes have changed in Quebec in recent years. Nowadays, horses are considered noble animals, true companions. As of February 10, 2024, they're protected by brand-new provincial safety and welfare regulations that also apply to pets. The practice we're discussing today goes against Quebec society's progressive values and severely undermines progress Quebec has made with respect to horses and other animals. Ever since 2015, the Quebec Civil Code has recognized animals as sentient beings. It's high time that the practices approved by the federal government reflect the values of Quebeckers in this regard.
During the study of this bill, a number of MPs and committee members have asked whether the solution to this practice might be to improve regulations governing the conditions under which horses are transported, rather than simply putting an end to the export of horses for slaughter. However, scientific evidence indicates that, due to the physiological peculiarities that make horses very ill-suited to this type of transport, they endure anxiety, pain, fear, exhaustion, thirst, hunger and panic during their long journey by cargo plane from Canada to Japan. As a result, the SPCA believes that it's impossible to export them for slaughter without causing them pain. The practice is irremediable and must be banned.
Some MPs have criticized the fact that Bill C‑355 targets only horses. It's completely understandable that they're also concerned about the conditions under which all animals are transported. However, supporting a ban on the export of horses for slaughter does not preclude these members calling on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to improve current regulations for all animals transported domestically and exported abroad. We would welcome such an initiative, of course. In fact, a previous witness, animal transport auditor Jennifer Woods, even conceded that current transportation standards could be improved. However, Bill C‑355 gives us an opportunity in the near future to at least help these horses, thousands of which continue to suffer during arduous trips overseas.
I was supposed to be accompanied today by Dr. Louis Kamus, a veterinarian who has unfortunately been called to perform surgery, but I was told that I could read part of his speech. He is an equine veterinarian and assistant professor of equine surgery in the faculty of veterinary medicine at the Université de Montréal and has been working with horses for over 10 years.
In his speech, he said that he was initially surprised because he wasn't aware of the Canadian industry that exports horses to Asia for slaughter. He raised the matter with several equine veterinary colleagues in Quebec, both in the field and at the hospital, and many of them expressed surprise and outrage when they found out about the export of live horses for slaughter.
Horses are unique among domestic animals. They are fragile creatures of habit that adapt poorly to changes in their environment and in their herd. Any change in their routine causes stress that impacts their health and welfare in various ways. Dr. Kamus and his colleagues often observe this phenomenon in horses that are transported to and hospitalized at the faculty, and they always take it into account in their treatment plans. In addition, a large proportion of hospital emergencies, such as digestive problems and trauma, are associated with stress.
Because of these characteristics, horses are ill-suited for transportation, especially long-distance transportation. They need to be trained and have special requirements to ensure proper transport. Long-distance transportation has also been associated with the development of severe dehydration, pleuropneumonia, and colic. That's why sport horses are subjected to shorter journeys with rest periods under conditions that are completely different from those under which horses for slaughter are currently transported. No effort is spared to mitigate the impact of transportation on sport horses.
Overseas transport of live horses for slaughter from Canadian farms causes significant stress and impacts horses' health and welfare. Therefore, it is not ethically possible to continue this practice.
I would be happy to answer any questions the members may have.