Farm Animal Welfare

Advocacy Issues

• Farm Animal Transport
  

• Foie Gras Facts

SPCA Certified

• What is SPCA Certified?
  

• Where to buy SPCA Certified Products?
  

• Meet our Farmers
  

• Join the Program
  

• SPCA Certified Standards
  

• Frequently Asked Questions

General Information 

• Farm Animal Facts
  

• Farm Animal Diseases
  

• Emergency Preparedness

FarmSense E- Newsletter

Contact Us

Farm Animal Welfare Press Releases

2008

World Farm Animals Day

The BC SPCA has issued a three-part challenge to consumers. Click here to learn more.

July 2008

For this year's Feast of Fields, the BC SPCA is partnering with Stepping Stones Bakery Cafe to serve SPCA Certified Scones! The 2008 Feast of Fields is on Sunday, September 7th at UBC Farm. For more information or to buy tickets, click HERE

May 2008

The 6th annual Eat! Vancouver is being held this year on May 23, 24, and 25 at BC Place Stadium. Come out to enjoy this fabulous event and look for the SPCA Certified booth to meet BC SPCA staff and volunteers and learn more about the SPCA Certified program and products. For more information click HERE

< back to top >

2007

September 2007 

SPCA Certified Products Featured at This Year's Feast of Fields!
For more information click HERE

July 6th, 2007: Humane Husbandry

Published in the July 5-12 issue of the Georgia Straight, this article highlights how the lives of farm animals are improved through UBC's animal welfare research. Geoff Urton,  animal welfare coordinator for the BC SPCA, also discusses the SPCA Certified food labelling program as well as his advocacy work dedicated to improving the welfare of farm animals during transport. 

May 23, 2007: Cloverdale Rodeo Bans Inhumane Events

         In response to public concern, the Cloverdale Rodeo has banned four events from

         next year's rodeo: calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and wild cow milking.

         For more information, see the Vancouver Sun's article.

April 7, 2007:  Out of the Cage

         Published in the Vancouver Sun, this article by Nicholas Read profiles SPCA Certified egg

         farmer, George Klassen -- an excerpt is provided in the June 2007 edition of FarmSense.

April 7, 2007:  Castrating Bulls Using Local Anaesthesia -- A First-Hand Account

 Published in the BC Cattlemen's Association magazine, Beef in BC, this article profiles Vale Farms' positive experience castrating with a local anaesthetic

< back to top >

2005 and Earlier

May 18, 2005:  Press release on the Cloverdale Rodeo - click here

July 2003:  BC SPCA and Capers Unite to Benefit Farm Animals 

As part of Capers Grassroots Giving Series, Capers in Kitsilano and the BC SPCA held a fun and informative fund-raising event on July 26th and 27th at Capers Community Market Kitsilano.

Over $3500 (including $1500 donated by Capers Kitsilano) was raised through raffle ticket sales and a Benefit Breakfast that featured all BC products, including SPCA Certified organic eggs.

Funds raised through this event will help the BC SPCA develop school-based farm welfare education materials, including farm tours for school groups. The unit and the tours teach young people about the importance of farm animal welfare and local farming practices. To learn about the farm tour pilot project, click here.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped the BC SPCA organize and co-host the event.

The BC SPCA thanks Capers' suppliers who generously donated the raffle gift baskets and the food for the Benefit Breakfast. 

A big thank you goes to all of the Capers Kitsilano staff, who through their dedication and hard work made this event a huge success. To learn about Capers Community Markets, click here.

Read the press release for more information. or download this press release in pdf format, 54 KB

May 2002 - Launch of SPCA Certified

SPCA CERTIFIED HAS LAUNCHED!

The BC SPCA launched SPCA Certified, a new food Labelling and Certification Program that assures consumers that the food products they are purchasing have met SPCA-approved standards of farm animal welfare. Read the press release for details on the launch.

or download this press release in pdf format

• Click here to find out where to purchase SPCA Certified products

• Click here to learn more about the SPCA Certified program

April 2002

• Lifetime Achievement  Award in Excellent Farming Practices
  Presented April 2002
  

This year, the BC SPCA was pleased to honour Patrick Hoole of Dogwood Farms with an award celebrating the Hoole's longtime commitment to excellent farming practices. Patrick Hoole has been actively farming at Dogwood Farms since 1946, and with his late wife Margery, contributed to improving North Cheviot sheep lines in Canada. The number one priority on this farm is the animals, and it shows! Read the BC SPCA web page for more information.

< back to top >