Health of Animals Regulations (C.R.C., c. 296)

Registration of Linked Sites

• 172.1 (1) On application from the operators of two farms where pigs are kept, the responsible administrator shall register the two sites as being linked with each other for the purposes of this Part for a period of six months if

  • (a) the sites and all sites having linked health status with either of them are all located in only one of the following parts of Canada:

    • (i) the eastern part of Canada that includes Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, or

    • (ii) the western part of Canada that includes Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut;

  • (b) pigs are transported between the sites at least three times per month;

  • (c) the operators of the sites have reported to the responsible administrator information identifying all of the conveyances being used to transport pigs between the sites and all movements of pigs between the sites are made exclusively by those conveyances; and

  • (d) in the case where the sites were not registered as being linked with each other during the three-month period before the application, the operators of the sites have reported each transport of pigs between the sites to the responsible administrator for that three-month period and the reports of each operator are consistent with those of the other.

• (2) If by the end of the 10th day of any month in the six-month period for which two sites are registered as being linked the operators of the two sites have not reported to the responsible administrator the total number of pigs that were transported between the sites and the number of pig movements between the sites during the preceding month, the registration in respect of the two sites being linked shall be cancelled at the end of that day for the remainder of the six-month period.

• (3) For the purpose of this section, two sites have linked health status with each other if

  • (a) the two sites are registered under subsection (1) as being linked with each other or have been registered under that subsection as being linked with each other at any time in the preceding six months; or

  • (b) one of the two sites, at any time in the preceding six months, is considered to have had linked health status under this section with another site that, at any time in those six months, is considered to have had linked health status under this section with the other of the two sites.

Approval, Issuance and Revocation of Tags

• 173 (1) The Minister may approve or revoke a tag, chip or other indicator for the identification of an animal, or the carcass of an animal, for the purposes of this Part.

• (2) When considering the approval of a tag, chip or other indicator, the Minister shall take into account whether

  • (a) the tag, chip or other indicator bears a unique identification number;

  • (b) the tag, chip or other indicator may not readily be altered or otherwise tampered with;

  • (c) the tag, chip or other indicator is difficult to counterfeit;

  • (d) the identification number on the tag, chip or other indicator is easily and reliably readable; and

  • (e) the tag, chip or other indicator is designed to be retained by any animal to which it may be applied.

• (3) When considering the revocation of an approved tag, chip or other indicator, the Minister shall take into account whether there is any other tag, chip or other indicator that offers improved performance over that approved tag, chip or other indicator with respect to the criteria set out in paragraphs (2)(b) to (e).

• 174 (1) At the request of the operator of a site, the responsible administrator may issue approved tags or cause them to be issued for the purpose of identifying animals on that site.

• (2) At the request of the operator of a site where pigs are kept, the responsible administrator may issue an identification number in respect of that site or cause one to be issued for the purpose of being applied by

  • (a) approved slap tattoos to pigs from that site that are destined for slaughter; and

  • (b) indicators to pigs from that site that are destined for export.

• (3) At the request of an importer of animals, the administrator may issue approved tags or cause them to be issued for the purpose of identifying the animals to be imported.

• (4) When requesting an identification number in respect of a site under subsection (2), the operator of the site shall report to the responsible administrator their name, address and telephone number.

Reporting Requirement

174.1 A distributor, or an organization that manages an animal identification system, that sells or distributes approved tags shall, within 24 hours after selling or distributing them, report the following information in respect of those approved tags to the responsible administrator:

• (a) the name, address and telephone number of the person to whom they were sold or distributed;

• (b) the date they were sold or distributed;

• (c) their unique identification numbers; and

• (d) the total number that were sold or distributed.

Identification Requirements

• 175 (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Part, every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of a bison, bovine or ovine or of the carcass of a bison, bovine or ovine shall ensure that it is identified by an approved tag that is applied to it before it is removed from a site.

• (1.1) Every person who applies, or causes the application of, an approved tag to an animal, or the carcass of an animal, shall ensure that the tag is for the species of that animal and is applied to the animal, or the carcass, for which the tag was issued under subsection 174(1).

• (1.2) Every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of an animal or a carcass of an animal shall ensure that the approved tag that is applied to it is applied to its ear with the logo and number facing forward.

• (2) Except as otherwise provided in this Part, every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of a bison, bovine or ovine or of the carcass of a bison, bovine or ovine shall ensure that it bears the approved tag referred to in subsection (1) at all times after it is removed from its farm of origin.

• (3) Every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of a pig to which an approved tag has been applied shall ensure that it bears the approved tag until it is identified in some other manner provided for under these Regulations.

• 175.01 (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of a pig shall ensure that it is identified by an approved tag that is applied to it before it is removed from a site.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the transportation of pigs, other than bred pigs, between parts of a farm that are not contiguous or between farms if

  • (a) the operator of the departure site ensures that the pigs being transported are accompanied with the following information in a form that can be immediately read by an inspector:

    • (i) the location of the departure site and the location of the destination site,

    • (ii) the date and time that the conveyance carrying the pigs left the departure site,

    • (iii) the number of pigs loaded onto the conveyance,

    • (iv) the identification number on any approved tag applied to the pigs, and

    • (v) the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance;

  • (b) the operator of the departure site reports that information to the responsible administrator within seven days after the departure of the pigs; and

  • (c) the operator of the destination site, within seven days after the pigs’ reception, reports the following information to the responsible administrator:

    • (i) the location of the departure site and the location of the destination site,

    • (ii) the date and time that the conveyance carrying the pigs arrived at the destination site,

    • (iii) the number of pigs and pig carcasses that arrived at the destination site,

    • (iv) the identification number on any approved tag applied to the pigs, and

    • (v) the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance.

• (3) The reporting requirements set out in paragraphs (2)(b) and (c) do not apply if at the time of the transportation the departure site and the destination site are registered as being linked with each other under section 172.1.

• (4) There is no requirement to identify pigs if they are transported from one part of a farm to another contiguous part of that farm.

• (5) If a pig is transported directly from any site to any other site that is an abattoir or that is used exclusively for the purpose of collecting animals before they are transported to an abattoir, every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of the pig at the departure site shall ensure that it is identified by an approved tag or an approved slap tattoo before it is moved from that site.

• (6) The operator of a site that is used for the purpose of collecting pigs before transport shall apply an approved tag to any pig that remains at the collection site for longer than 96 hours or that is sent anywhere other than to an abattoir.

• (7) Every person who exports a pig shall ensure that, before its export, it has applied to it an indicator approved by the importing country and bearing or corresponding to an identification number issued by the responsible administrator under paragraph 174(2)(b).

• (8) Every person who owns or has the possession, care or control of a pig carcass or part of a pig carcass that is transported from any site to any other site shall ensure that the carcass or the part is accompanied with the following information in a form that can be immediately read by an inspector:

  • (a) the location of the departure site and the location of the destination site;

  • (b) the date and time that the conveyance carrying the carcass or the part left the departure site; and

  • (c) the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance.

Record-keeping and Information Reporting Requirements

• 175.1 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the operator of a site who removes or causes the removal of an ovine 18 months of age or older from the site shall keep a record of

  • (a) the identification number on the approved tag that is applied  to the ovine;

  • (b) the date of removal;

  • (c) the reason for removal; and

  • (d) the name and address of the owner or person having the possession, care or control of the ovine at the destination to which it is removed.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of an ovine that is transported directly for slaughter either to an establishment where food animals are slaughtered by the holder of a licence that is issued under paragraph 20(1)(b) of the Safe Food for Canadians Act or to an establishment that is registered under an Act of a province that provides for the inspection of ovine carcasses.

• (3) The operator of a site who receives or causes the reception of a bred ovine shall keep a record of

  • (a) the identification number on the approved tag that is applied  to the ovine;

  • (b) the date of reception; and

  • (c) the name and address of the owner or person who had the possession, care or control of the ovine at the site from which it was removed.

• (4) Every person who is required to keep a record under this section shall keep the record for a period of at least five years.

• 175.2 (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Part, if a pig is transported from one site to another, the operator of the departure site, within seven days after the pig’s departure, and the operator of the destination site, within seven days after the pig’s reception, shall report the following information to the responsible administrator:

  • (a) the location of the departure site and the location of the destination site;

  • (b) in the case of the operator of the departure site, the date and time that the conveyance carrying the pig left the departure site and, in the case of the operator of the destination site, the date and time that the conveyance arrived at the destination site;

  • (c) in the case of the operator of the departure site, the number of pigs loaded onto the conveyance and, in the case of the operator of the destination site, the number of pigs and pig carcasses that arrived at the destination site; and

  • (d) the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance.

• (2) There is no requirement to report to the responsible administrator or keep records on the movement of pigs transported from one part of a farm to another contiguous part of that farm.

• (3) Every person who operates a site where an approved tag or approved slap tattoo is applied to a pig shall report the following information to the responsible administrator within seven days after the pig’s departure:

  • (a) the location of the departure site and the location of the destination site;

  • (b) the date and time that the conveyance carrying the pig left the departure site;

  • (c) the identification numbers on the approved tags and approved slap tattoos applied to the pigs; and

  • (d) the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance.

• (4) If pigs are transported from a site to an abattoir, the operator of the departure site, within seven days after the departure of the pigs, and the operator of the abattoir, within seven days after the reception of the pigs, shall report the following information to the responsible administrator:

  • (a) the location of the departure site and the location of the abattoir;

  • (b) in the case of the operator of the departure site, the date and time that the conveyance carrying the pigs left the departure site and, in the case of the operator of the abattoir, the date and time that the conveyance arrived at the abattoir;

  • (c) in the case of the operator of the departure site, the number of pigs loaded onto the conveyance and, in the case of the operator of the abattoir, the number of pigs and pig carcasses that arrived at the abattoir;

  • (d) in the case of the operator of the abattoir, the identification numbers on the approved tags or the approved slap tattoos applied to the pigs; and

  • (e) the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance.

• (5) If a pig carcass or part of a pig carcass is transported from one site to another, the operator of the departure site, within seven days after the departure of the carcass or the part, and the operator of the destination site, within seven days after the reception of the carcass or the part, shall report the following information to the responsible administrator:

  • (a) the location of the departure site and either the name of the operator of the destination site or the location of the destination site;

  • (b) in the case of the operator of the departure site, the date that the conveyance carrying the carcass or the part left the departure site and, in the case of the operator of the destination site, the date that the conveyance arrived at the destination site; and

  • (c) in the case of the operator of the destination site, the licence plate number or, if there is no licence plate, other identification of the conveyance.