1. Introduction

 
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BACKGROUND

Thank you for your interest in the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines Public Comment Period. The draft Code is available to review for 60 days.

Public comment period launch date: 12 January 2026

Closing date for comments: 12 March 2026

Status: Open for review and consultation

The draft Code was developed by a multi-stakeholder committee following the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) Code development process. More information on the Code and the development process is available at www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice.

INSTRUCTIONS

After you proceed through the short introduction section below click on 'next' to begin the review. Content from each section of the draft Code is provided followed by a comment box. Read through the section and provide your comments and suggestions in the box provided. If you have no comment select “no comments”. To help facilitate this process, please ensure your feedback is specific, provides a rationale and whenever possible includes alternative wording or suggestions for how to address your concern. Where possible, please use identifiers from within in the Code (for example, for recommended best practice A – suggestion to change….). You can also copy and paste the content into the comment box and then comment.

You may choose to download or print the full draft version to review before providing feedback. Please note feedback on the draft Code will only be accepted through this online system.

The Scientific Committee’s Report is also available. This peer-reviewed report provides a review of scientific research related to the priority welfare issues selected as part of the Code process.

The draft Code is approximately 200 pages. Use the "Prev" or "Next" buttons to navigate through the draft Code. Do not use the back button on your browser.

If you do not have enough time to review the entire Code all at once, you can click “Exit” (top right corner of each page) and return later through the web link or by bookmarking this page. Feedback can only be submitted once from any given computer (i.e., IP address) and only through this online system. At the top of each page is a progress bar that indicates how far you are in the review process.

Please be polite. Submissions that include profanity or derogatory or threatening language will not be considered.

Following the 60-day public comment period the Code Development Committee will consider all comments and feedback, revise the draft as required and submit a final Code to NFACC. The revised equine Code of Practice is slated to be released early 2027.

Thank you for providing input to Canada's equine Code of Practice.
TIPS FOR PROVIDING FEEDBACK

After several months of deliberations by the Code Committee, the public comment period provides an opportunity for the committee to check its work more broadly.
  • Be constructive. Criticism is welcome and valid. But it is more powerful when it comes with suggestions for improvement and, whenever possible, a rationale or alternate wording.
  • Tell your story. Committee members are interested in what the Code means to real people in the real world (your personal viewpoint on how the proposed changes will affect you, either positively or negatively).
  • Quality and quantity. Multiple submissions with the same copy and pasted comments can convey a particular stakeholder viewpoint and will be noted by the Code Committee. However, your own unique insights can be particularly helpful to the committee. Everyone involved in the Code process has the goal of continual improvement in farm animal welfare. What are your viewpoints that can support that goal?
  • Where possible, identify the text to which your comment pertains (e.g. for recommended practice A, suggestion to change….). You can also copy and paste the relevant Code content as part of your comment.

If you have questions about the Public Comment Period, please contact us at codes@nfacc.ca.

Financial support was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriAssurance Program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

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BEGIN PUBLIC CONSULT PROCESS

All personal identifying information is confidential, but we believe it is important for those making submissions to be willing to provide their name and basic contact information as part of their commitment to producing a quality Code of Practice. We will only use your personal information to contact you if there is a question about your submission.

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* Which stakeholder category best describes you?

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