The Rural Voice, 1981-12, Page 15Unwelcome imports
Don't bring it back is the slogan of a
campaign launched by Agriculture Can-
ada to spread the word that meat,
(amongst other agricultural items), is an
unwelcome import into Canada.
According to "Carnet", a quarterly
publication of National Revenue, Customs
in 1977 (the latest year for which figures
are available.) Over half of this meat was
brought in by people who were trying to
smuggle some delicacy or to bring in a
taste of the "old country". People have
even been known to bring in eggs in their
pockets, intending to have them hatched
in Canada.
The problem is disease-- viruses like
foot-and-mouth which affects cloven-hoo-
fed animals (pigs, cattle and sheep,)
rinderpest which is fatal to cattle, and
Newcastle disease which reduces egg
production in poultry and can kill.
"It's amazing the lengths to which some
people will go to bring in a bit of meat or a
home-made delicacy," says Dr. Roger
Stevens, special projects officer with the
imports section of Agriculture Canada's
Animal Health Directorate. "The risk of
being detected is a gamble they are
prepared to take."
One of the problems is that at present,
the meat smugglers aren't being prosecu-
ted. The meat is merely confiscated and
eventually burned in an incinerator.
Dr. Stevens highlights another pro-
blem: "many people don't interpret
salami or sausage or bacon as meat; meat
to their minds is three ribs of beef."
Few travellers are aware of the dangers
to the Canadian economy of this type of
smuggling. In 1952 a traveller tossed a
piece of illegally imported sausage from
his pocket into a pig trough in Saskatch-
ewan, which caused an outbreak of
foot -and mouth disease in Canada and
eventually serious damages to the econ-
omy. Within four months, 1,543 cattle, 97
sheep and 293 swine had to be slaughter-
ed. Meat exports were halted for a loss of
S200 million, livestock prices plummeted
costing the economy $560 million and
support payments which had to be paid to
farmers amounted to $100 million. The
eradication program cost another $5
million.
Of considerable concern right now is the
threat of the introduction of African swine
fever into Canada's pig population. This
disease, first diagnosed wiped out the pig
population of Malta.
The Health of Animals Branch of
by Bev Brown
Agriculture Canada has asked Canadian
Customs' officials for increased vigilance
at points of entry, particularly airports, to
intercept meat products (brought in by
travellers) that could carry African swine
fever virus. The virus is getting close to
home with cases reported in Haiti, the
Dominican Republic and Brazil. Spain and
Portugal are also infected.
"A lot of these viruses can remain in
tissue-- meat and bone marrow-- for a
considerable period of time, even
months," points out Dr. Ian Kirk, chief of
imports with Agriculture Canada's Meat
Hygiene Directorate. "Dead animals in
the form of meat can be as potentially
dangerous as live animals."
Freezing the meat is no solution: it
doesn't harm the virus. "In fact, it just
helps it survive," says Dr. Kirk.
Regulations are so stringent that ships
from restricted countries calling at inland
Canadian ports (on the Great Lakes'
system, for example) have their meat
lockers sealed and any meat used has to
come from Canadian sources. Garbage
must remain on board until the craft has
left Canada, or alternatively, it can be
landed at selected sites and incinerated.
Similar regulations apply to aircraft
flying internationally. Garbage, which
would include left -overs from in-flight
meals, must either be stored in bags
aboard and taken out of the country again
or destroyed in the airport incinerator.
There are also restrictions on certain
kinds of tree -fruits and fresh vegetables.
And the international movement of plants,
including the earth, sand or other
substance in which they are packed, is
strictly controlled. All of this is to guard
against the introduction into Canada of
foreign diseases or parasites.
Anyone wanting specific information on
importing plants, fresh fruit and vegeta-
bles should contact the Plant Quarantine
Division of Canada Department of Agri-
culture, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 005.
It's easy for the traveller to avoid buying
a live exotic plant or animal. But what
about the thousands of articles made from
their parts?
Belts, coats, hats, carvings, jewellery,.
wallets and handbags are only some of the
items which can be fashioned from the
skin, feathers and other parts of wild
species. Generally you should avoid.
purchasing anything made of ivory,
reptile skin(including that of alligators,
crocodiles and the larger snakes), the
skins of spotted cats and tortoiseshell.
You need the same authorization for any
parts or products as you would for the live
specimen.
For more information you can write to:
Convention Administrator, Canadian
Wildlife Service, Environment Canada.
Ottawa, K1A OH3, for the pamphlet
"Noah didn't need a permit, what about
you?".
And yes, pets can also spread germs
and disease dangerous to people and
animals.
Dogs and cats being brought from the
U.S.A. must have been vaccinated against
rabies within the last three years. Pups
and kittens less than three -months -old are
exempt, as long as they appear healthy
when they enter Canada.
If your pet is over three -months -old, it
must be accompanied by a certificate
signed and dated by a veterinarian. The
certificate must not only show that
vaccination has been carried out within
the prescribed time limit, but must also
describe the breed, age, sex, colouring
and other distinguishing marks of the
animal. Animal tags cannot be accepted
in place of a certificate.
Canadians who don't want to leave a pet
behind when going on a short trip to the
U.S.A. should bring their pet's rabies
vaccination certificate. This will facilitate
entry into the United States and return
through Canadian Customs.
In the case of dogs, cats or any other
kind of pet, furred, finned or feathered,
from other parts of the world you should
check in advance with: Health of Animals
Branch, Canada Department of Agricul-
ture, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OCS.
So if you are planning to escape from the
Canadian winter and spend some time in a
warmer climate, make sure you are aware
of the regulations governing what items
you can and cannot bring back into
Canada According to Dr. Brian Peart,
chief of the transportation of animals
division at Agriculture Canada's Health of
Animals Directorate, Food Production and
Inspection Branch, "This is the first time
we've really put on a major campaign. We
decided there were two ways we could do
something about the problem at airports
and work with Customs: one was the
publicity campaign, the other was to
prosecute. We're trying the publicity
campaign now."
Thanks to Carnet magazine for
information on this topic.
THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1981 PG. 13
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