Golden Rescue's urgent plea for changes to CFIA ban on dog importation

Princess with new owner Wanetta Doucette-Goodman after arriving at Pearson Airport in Toronto from Egypt on Sept. 15, 2022, just prior to the CFIA ban on dog importation being implemented. The nine-year-old golden retriever had been used as a breeding dog and was found on the streets of Cairo before being rehomed in Canada.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s ban on the importation of rescue dogs – a move meant to stop the spread of rabies – has had a deadly impact on thousands of innocent animals around the world.

So, advocacy groups such as Golden Rescue, a non-profit organization focused on rescuing and rehoming Golden Retrievers, are pushing for the Canadian government expedite its review and amendment of the CFIA ban that was put in place last year.

“The ban was implemented in September (2022) to combat the spread of rabies and has put a direct halt on the ability to rescue animals from foreign countries, despite a proven track record of successful and safe rescues,” Golden Rescue says in a recently released statement.

Golden Rescue is among some 25 organizations that have formed a coalition that is focused on working with the CFIA to amend

the ban.

“After the initial public outcry, the formation of the coalition, a parliamentary petition , support from opposition politicians including MP Rempel Garner , and a series of letters to key officials, Golden Rescue has been involved in a series of meetings focused on amending the

ban,” Golden Rescue says. “The amendments include a robust protocol for organizations to follow when importing dogs, similar to the process implemented in the United States .”

Golden Rescue – solely funded by donations and run by more than five hundred volunteers across the country – has found homes for close to 5,000 abandoned, abused, surrendered or displaced Golden Retrievers since 1990.

Princess arriving at Toronto’s Pearson Airport from Egypt on Sept. 15, 2022, just prior to the CFIA ban on dog importation being implemented. The nine-year-old golden retriever had been used as a breeding dog and was found on the streets of Cairo before being rehomed in Canada.

And the organization says the amendments to the CFIA ban must be made urgently “to minimize the devastation on animals around the world.”

“We have been able to speak to the CFIA on this issue a number of times and they are simply not moving fast enough on implementing the changes we agreed on, and each passing moment means that more and more animals are living in misery or being killed,” Golden Rescue Board Chair Viive Tamm said.

“The policies that we put forward are aligned with what other regions are doing, and are a proven solution to the issues brought forward by the CFIA,” she added.

Golden Rescue has released a disturbing video that has emerged depicting the torture and deaths of dogs in Egypt, an area where the agency was able to rescue dogs before the CFIA ban was implemented.

WARNING: Graphic content

“While the video is tremendously difficult to watch, it is a clear visual of the impact that Golden Rescue and countless other rescue groups have on animals around the world,” Tamm said.

“It is happening every single day and will continue to happen so long that the ban is in place,” she warned.

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File photo of Stephen Zagar at Pearson Airport in Toronto with the golden retriever he adopted after it was rescued from Turkey on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016.

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

It’s time for the Golden Rescue Spring Online Auction .

The auction helps the agency’s efforts of saving the lives of Golden Retrievers in Canada and abroad.

“As a non-profit organization, we rely solely on donations to do the amazing work that we do,” said Wanetta Doucette-Goodman, the volunteer coordinator for Golden Rescue’s online auction.

She said the auction aims to raise $20,000 and “every little bit helps.”

Bidding opens online at 9 a.m. June 23 and closes at 9 p.m. on June 25.

For more information or to arrange the donation of new items please email [email protected].

For more information, visit Golden Rescue’s Online Auction on Facebook.