Letter to the Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture Regarding the Humane Transport of Animals

The following is correspondence between IHC President Wendell Grasse and Sean Casey, MP for Charlottetown. The attached is a letter to the Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture from Dr. Mary Bell, DVM Chair Health and Welfare Committee and is regarding the humane transport of animals.

Dear Wendell,

I have received a copy of your correspondence with Minister Gerry Ritz. Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention.

I believe that the current inhumane transport of horses and other animals are a direct result of our criminal code being woefully inadequate. We are dealing with the same laws that were put in place in 1892 that treat animals as property, and therefore there is little scope to prosecute perpetrators of animal cruelty.

Mark Holland from the previous Liberal caucus had made several unsuccessful attempts with his Private Member’s Bill, Bill C-229, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Cruelty to Animals). This bill is now Bill C-232, and has been tabled by NDP member Peggy Nash. I believe this bill corrects many of the loopholes in the existing criminal code dealing with animal welfare, and I will support this bill when and if it comes before the House of Commons.

Please be assured that you have my support for your cause. Kindly keep in touch on this issue.

Yours truly,

Sean Casey, MP
Charlottetown.

From: Wendell Grasse
Sent: February 11, 2012 9:32 AM
Cc: Easter, Wayne - M.P.; MacAulay, Lawrence - M.P.; Shea, Gail - M.P.
Subject: Attached letter to the Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture, re: the Humane Transport of Animals

This message to you represents our support for the action requested in the attached letter to the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture. We respectfully request your immediate assistance with this matter. It is of vital importance to the health and welfare of our horses and has been pending for some twenty years since the original request from CFIA for industry input on this matter.

As the current chairperson of the Prince Edward Island Horse Council Inc., I represent the interests of approximately 600 pleasure horse owners in this province, and on their behalf I thank you in advance for your support of this matter.

Wendell Grasse, Chair
P.E.I Horse Council Inc.