Canadian Equine Identification & Traceability Program
Officially Launched
Ottawa, Ontario --- At a meeting held January
13 in Red Deer, AB, representatives from Equine Canada announced
the launch of the Canadian Equine Identification & Traceability
Program.
The program is designed to pool together data
from the existing network of breed registries and sport organizations
into a central database of information. Information on horses in
the database would be made available to federal veterinarians as
required to manage an animal health emergency in Canada.
The goals and objectives of the industry-managed
program are to develop a system that:
• Minimizes the risks to, and impact on, the equine industry
created by an animal health emergency
• Minimizes the cost and intrusiveness in the implementation
of new regulations regarding livestock traceability and food safety.
The Equine Canada program is based on voluntary
participation by breed registries and sport organizations, on behalf
of Canadian horse owners. The plan for the Canadian Equine Identification
& Traceability Program is the result of fifteen months of consultations
by the Equine ID Working Group, a national team of breeders and
owners from across the country, who volunteered their time to develop
the system plan.
The Equine ID Working Group, has taken the
following perspective: “We are preparing for the eventuality
that the government will declare it mandatory at some point …
Therefore we have proposed a model that we believe will protect
our industry and have the least impact on horse owners.”
The Canadian Equine ID & Traceability
Program will:
• Assign a unique lifetime number to each horse
• Standardize the format for identification of horses
• Standardize the format for all documents required for moving
horses in Canada and abroad (transport manifests, import-export
certificates, Coggins testing certificates, vet inspection certificates,
etc.)
• Support RFID microchips or tags as secondary identification
for horses if one is applied to a horse
• Use the existing network of pedigree registries and horse
shows to collect information on identification and movement of horses
in Canada
Owners will have access to records for their
own horses, and will be able to print Official ID documents directly
from the Internet, whenever documents are required. Registries will
only have access to records for horses recorded within their registry.
Federal veterinarians and authorities will only have access to information
as required for the purposes of managing an animal health emergency.
The Canadian Equine ID & Traceability
System will be phased in over time. The plan starts with voluntary
participation by pedigree registries and sport organizations in
2006, aiming to capture foals registered for 2007.
The Breeds & Industry Division of Equine
Canada would like to invite all breed association representatives
and interested industry stakeholders to attend an Industry Update
Session reporting on the next steps for a National Program for Equine
Identification and Traceability for Canada.
EQUINE CANADA ANNUAL CONVENTION
DELTA BRUNSWICK HOTEL
39 KING STREET, SAINT JOHN, N.B.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006
6:00 P.M. TO 7:30 P.M.
The information session, open to the public
and all interested parties, will report on:
• The implementation plan for a national ID program for Canada
• Updates on the plans for the Canadian Livestock Identification
Agency and the impact on horse owners
• Update on 2005 activities for equine ID programs in the
U.S. and other countries
• Time-lines – 2006 through 2009
For additional information regarding the industry
update session, contact:
Equine Canada - Don Adams, Executive Director
613-248-3433, Ext. 116, Email: dadams@equinecanada.ca
or
Vel Evans, Equine ID Project Consultant
905-953-8250, Email: velevans@rogers.com
For additional information regarding the program,
and regular updates as the program is developed, visit the Equine
Canada website at www.equinecanada.ca.
There is a button on the home page for "Equine ID & Traceability
Project" that links to a complete reporting on the program.Equine
Canada is a member-based association that represents, promotes and
services Canada's equine community and industry. Its core areas
of activity involve sport, equine health and welfare, education
and safety, governance and marketing, representation and communication.
Equine Canada is recognized by Sport Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the Canadian
Olympic Committee and Canadian Coaching Association of Canada as
the national organization representing equestrian sport and equine
interests in Canada. For more information about Equine Canada, please
visit www.equinecanada.ca.
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