The Laws & Code

Canadian Laws & Regulations

The federal laws and regulations governing livestock handling and transportation in Canada are:

• Health of Animals Regulations
  • Part XII Transportation
  • Part XV Animal Identification
  • CFIA Animal Welfare / Transportation of Animal
• Meat Inspection Regulations
  • Part III Examination, Inspection, Humane Treatment and Slaughter, Packaging and Labelling
• Food and Drug Regulations
• Criminal Code of Canada, Cruelty to Animals Bill C-50

These regulations are enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Recommended Codes of Practice

The Recommended codes of practice for the care and handling of farm animals are nationally developed guidelines for the care and handling of different species of farm animals.  The Codes are intended to promote sound management and welfare practices and contain recommendations for housing, management, transportation, processing, and other acceptable animal husbandry practices.  They assist farmers and others in the agriculture and food sector to compare and improve their own management practices.

One of the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) objectives is to update and re-establish the Code development process. Click here for more details on NFACC and the codes.

Click on the following links for the complete codes of practice:

	Click here to view / download the transportation code Contact your provincial group for hard copies
Recommended codes of practice for the care and handling of farm animals
Beef Cattle Dairy Cattle Bison Chickens, Turkeys & Breeders from Hatchery to Processing Plant		Deer Goats Horses Mink Pigs and Early Weaned Pigs	Poultry - Layers Ranched Fox Sheep Veal Calves
The following Factsheets based on the Codes are also available
Beef Bison Dairy Cattle Deer Horses		Mink Pigs Poultry - Layers Chicken, Turkey & Breeders from Hatchery to Processing Plant	Ranched Fox Sheep Transportation Veal Calves