Okay Everyone, here is all of the info you need to help Canada's livestock rabbits. Please feel free to crosspost wherever you think it may help!
TAKE ACTION NOW!
To Ensure Compassion and Respect for Rabbits Everywhere
(C.A.R.E)
Now is the time for you to make a difference for rabbits raised for food in Canada! Just a few minutes of your time will ensure that enough awareness of this issue will be raised. Then, there will be enough proof of public support for Rabbit Rescue to request a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture. But first we need 300 letters!
Write to the Federal and Provincial Ministers of Agriculture and your local MP to ask them to change the Humane
Slaughter Act and to revise the Codes of Practice to include rabbits.
Here’s how:
Write a letter to Gerry Ritz, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and send a copy to Leona Dombrowsky, the Provincial Minister of Agriculture in Ontario and a copy to your local Member of Parliament.
The Honourable Minister Leona Dombrowsky (postage required)
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
77 Grenville St.
Toronto, ON M5S 1B3
The Honourable Minister Gerry Ritz (no postage required, unless mailing from the U.S.)
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Sir John Carling Building
930 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1A OC5
Go to this link to find your local Member of Parliament (MP) and their address:
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Comp....aspx?Menu=HOC
When you input your postal code, two addresses will pop up for your MP: an Ottawa address and a Constituency Address. Please mail one letter to both offices. The Ottawa address requires no postage, unless mailing from the U.S..
Here are the critical points to make in your letter:
* I am concerned that there are no Codes of Practice for rabbits being
farmed for food
* I am concerned because rabbits are not rendered unconscious prior to being
suspended for slaughter
* I believe that rabbits should be included in the Codes of Practice
and ideally Recommended Best Practices during the farming process
* Please write back and let me know that you will support the
inclusion of rabbits into the Codes of Practice
* Please let me know that you will support changes to the Humane
Slaughter Act so that all animals, including rabbits, are rendered
unconscious prior to being suspended for slaughter
It is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that your letter be written in your own words, that it be sent by regular letter mail (not email). You must include your address in the letter. A paragraph is all that is needed. Polite and articulate letters that people took the time to write make ALL THE DIFFERENCE. See the sample letter for an example of what looks good.
Mary Smith
22 Rabbit Lane
Bunnytown, ON
M2J 1E2
The Honourable Minister Gerry Ritz
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Sir John Carling Building
930 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1A OC5
Day, Month, Year
Dear Honourable Minister Ritz,
I am an owner of three wonderful rabbits, one of which was rescued by the OSPCA from an
inhumane situation on a farm. I have recently become aware that food rabbits in Canada can be suspended for slaughter while still fully conscious. From my own experience I know that rabbits are highly sensitive animals and frighten easily. I cannot imagine the terror they must feel during this method of slaughter. I am writing to you to ask you to change the Humane Slaughter Act so that rabbits are protected from this unnecessary suffering, and are rendered unconscious prior to suspension.
I have also become aware that most food animals are protected by voluntary Codes of Practice that farmers are encouraged to follow, and that no codes exist for rabbits. I would like to see this go further and have laws for all of our farm animals that make best farming practices the standard.
I am looking forward to your response with regards to these two issues.
Sincerely,
Mary Smith
cc. Honourable Minister Leona Dombrowsky, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
cc. Yasmin Ratansi, MP Don Valley East, Ontario
Also, remember to send a copy of your letter to
care@rabbitrescue.ca so that we can track the number of letters being sent. I know it's a lot of writing (politicians certainly don't make it easy!), but unfortunately this is what has to happen for the next critical steps to be taken. Canadian livestock rabbits deserve better and thank you from the bottom of their hearts!
