YOU HAVE POWER IN YOUR BUYING DECISIONS-BE AN INFORMED CONSUMER: Small things can have a big impact, so consider your food choices. Some people decide to eliminate or reduce their consumption of meat and dairy products. If you buy meat and dairy products, look for labels that certify higher welfare standards than conventional farming practices. Understand what these labels mean for farmed animal welfare and decide what standards you wish to support, and be aware of marketing attempts at “humane-washing”.The B.C. SPCA provides helpful information about finding higher welfare food and labels. Build a relationship with your local farmer and find out about their farming practices.

ADVOCATE/SPEAK OUT: Contact your provincial government representative (MPP) to voice your concerns about factory farming and to advocate for laws mandating protection for farmed animals such as higher welfare standards, regular inspections by independent authorities, public access to inspection reports and related government data, support for transparency of operations and repeal of any “ag-gag” laws. Contact your federal government representative (MP) to advocate for improved conditions for the transport of farmed animals (e.g. more rest stops, climate-controlled vehicles), federal slaughter facilities(e.g. video surveillance); and significantly more funding for inspections to strengthen enforcement. Explain your concerns to your grocery stores (see World Animal Protection Canada’s 2021 article on how some large Canadian companies are failing farmed animals lagging on welfare policies), to your restaurants, and school cafeterias, by asking questions such as whether they have a farmed animal welfare policy that is publicly available, what specific standards they endorse, and how they ensure that their suppliers comply with the standards.

ENGAGE Join, support, and/or volunteer with an organization that works to help farmed animals.

        1.  Higher Welfare Food 

2.   Loblaw, Sobeys and other Canadian companies lag animal welfare improvements