Are you passionate about the welfare of equines in Canada? For the first time since 2013, Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines is being updated, and the public is invited to provide input.
The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) has now opened the public comment period for the updated Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines. This stage of the process allows everyone to review the draft Code and submit feedback before it is finalized.
This Code sets out the minimum requirements of care for everyone who raises and cares for equines in Canada and plays an important role in shaping how they are treated on farms nationwide. Equines are raised for many reasons, including for sport, recreation, work, racing, or farmed to produce meat or pharmaceutical products across the country.
The update follows an earlier national survey that gathered top equine welfare concerns from the public. That input, along with a scientific review of current research, was used by a diverse team of experts to develop the draft Code. Learn how your input impacts the Code.
To ensure your submission is reviewed, please follow these tips for filling out NFACC’s survey:
- Use your own words – share your unique perspective; identical submissions may be ignored.
- Be polite – submissions that include profanity or derogatory language will not be considered.
- Address on-farm welfare issues – the Code does not apply once equines leave the farm, so it does not cover transport.
- Suggest exact changes you would like to see.
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- For example, “Please change the requirement that states ‘Horses must be observed as often as required to maintain their health and well-being’ to ‘Horses must be observed at least daily, and more often if they are sick, injured, about to foal, or very young.’
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- Provide references, examples, and explanations, where possible, to explain why you would like to see a change.
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- For example, “Several other NFACC Codes (e.g. goats, poultry) require daily monitoring of animals. Animals must be observed at least once every 24 hours to ensure they are not trapped, injured, or sick, and that they have access to food and water. Equines can suffer deteriorate rapidly if left longer than this without intervention.”
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Key welfare issues for equines that we would like to see addressed include:
- Clear space allowances indoors and outdoors, as current space requirements are too vague and should include specific minimum standards.
- Prohibiting tie stalls to ensure horses are not confined in restrictive environments.
- Ensuring adequate social opportunities, enrichment, and turnout, including a minimum daily turnout and required enrichment, especially for horses housed indoors.
- Regular observation and monitoring, with minimum frequencies included (e.g., twice daily for housed horses and once daily for pastured horses).
- A specific requirement for horses to receive forage as an essential part of feeding practices.
- Requiring less painful identification methods such as microchipping and ensuring pain control for branding is effective immediately if branding is not prohibited.
The public comment period is open until March 12, 2026. Anyone can participate, and public input will help inform the final Code.
Original Story
Now is your chance to share your concerns about equine welfare and make a difference for horses, ponies, miniature horses, donkeys, mules, and hinnies across the country.
The National Farm Animal Care Council has announced that the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines, published in 2013, will be updated. The Code contains requirements and recommended practices for on-farm care of equines.
An important first step in the Code development process is the initial survey to capture top welfare concerns from all interested individuals. The input received will help the Code Development Committee understand the kinds of issues people wish to see considered in the update. Everyone is invited to participate!
Update: this survey has now closed but the public commenting period is now open.
Next steps
After the survey closes, the Code Development Committee, made up of farmers, veterinarians, animal welfare organizations, researchers, transporters, government representatives, and others, will review the submissions and create a list of priority welfare issues.
A group of researchers will compile the most recent research on these topics to help the Code Development Committee create a science-informed Code. A draft Code will be released in approximately two years for public review and comment. The BC SPCA will share the draft Code when it is ready.
Learn more
- Learn about raising horses in Canada and other welfare issues they may face
- Learn how the Code helps protect equines in Canada
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