Manitoba Animal Save

💥Update on Provincial push to end live horse exports 🐎

Yesterday, Manitoba Animal Save received a response from the Manitoba government regarding our concerns and their commitment about the live export of horses from Manitoba to Japan for slaughter.

Earlier this year, I emailed Premier Wab Kinew, Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn, and Minister Nahanni Fontaine urging the Manitoba government to follow through on previous reported commitments to pressure the federal government to finally ban live horse exports for slaughter.

In response, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Lisa Joachim acknowledged these concerns and stated that animal welfare is an issue the government “takes very seriously.” The letter outlines existing federal transport regulations and CFIA oversight, but it does not answer several key questions we raised, which are:

What concrete actions has Manitoba taken to pressure the federal government to enact a ban?

Will the Manitoba government publicly reaffirm its commitment to ending live horse exports for slaughter?

What specific steps will be taken moving forward?

👉 However, there have also been important developments lately.

Last week, the assistant to Minister Kostyshyn called me to assure that the Manitoba NDP government is lobbying the federal government for this ban. I asked whether Minister Kostyshyn supports a ban on live horse exports or whether agricultural and CFIA interests were preventing action, and I was told that Minister Kostyshyn supports the ban.

I explained that advocates are continuing to remind Ottawa of previous commitments, send postcards, organize public pressure, and encourage people to contact their MP's and he agreed that this appears to be the best course of action right now.

A few days ago, my Member of Parliament Doug Eyolfson called me to confirm that he is also lobbying Ottawa to ban these live exports. Duting our call he took notes for a lobbying letter his office is preparing and discussed the importance of continuing to push this issue federally.

I also visited my MP Eyolfson 's office to drop off petitions calling for an end to the live export of horses for slaughter, aa have several other advocates in our riding. Thank you Stephanie Delios Laura Potts Christine Krahn .

So where are we now?
We now have commitments from the Manitoba NDP government to lobby Ottawa, support from Manitoba’s Minister of Agriculture, and multiple MPs pushing this issue federally.

This means the issue is already on the radar politically.

What we need now is a massive collective push to ensure this ban becomes part of the new federal Liberal agenda.

📢 CALL TO ACTION

Please continue contacting your Member of Parliament and ask them if they are bringing this issue to Ottawa, and whether they support amending the Health of Animals Regulations to ban the live export of horses for slaughter.

[email protected]
[email protected]
https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en

Remind them of the Liberal government’s previous commitment to end these live exports.

You can also:
send postcards to the Prime Minister, share this post, speak to friends and family, and help keep public pressure on this issue.

We still have postcards available and can order more if there is enough demand and donations.

You can print Animal Justice’s petition here: https://animaljustice.ca/take-action/ban-live-horse-export

This movement has persisted for years because all of you refuse to give up on these horses.

And now is the time to push harder than ever.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/animal-welfare-debate-manitoba-election-1.6977168

Yesterday, Manitoba Animal Save received a response from the Manitoba government regarding our concerns and their commitment about the live export of horses from Manitoba to Japan for slaughter.

Earlier this year, I emailed Premier Wab Kinew, Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn, and Minister Nahanni Fontaine urging the Manitoba government to follow through on previous reported commitments to pressure the federal government to finally ban live horse exports for slaughter.

In response, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Lisa Joachim acknowledged these concerns and stated that animal welfare is an issue the government “takes very seriously.” The letter outlines existing federal transport regulations and CFIA oversight, but it does not answer several key questions we raised, which are:

What concrete actions has Manitoba taken to pressure the federal government to enact a ban?

Will the Manitoba government publicly reaffirm its commitment to ending live horse exports for slaughter?

What specific steps will be taken moving forward?

👉However, there have also been important developments lately.

Last week, the assistant to Minister Kostyshyn called me to assure that the Manitoba NDP government is lobbying the federal government for this ban. I asked whether Minister Kostyshyn supports a ban on live horse exports or whether agricultural and CFIA interests were preventing action, and I was told that Minister Kostyshyn supports the ban.

I explained that advocates are continuing to remind Ottawa of previous commitments, send postcards, organize public pressure, and encourage people to contact their MP's and he agreed that this appears to be the best course of action right now.

A few days ago, my Member of Parliament Doug Eyolfson called me to confirm that he is also lobbying Ottawa to ban these live exports. During our call he took notes for a lobbying letter his office is preparing and discussed the importance of continuing to push this issue federally.

I also visited my MP Eyolfson 's office to drop off petitions calling for an end to the live export of horses for slaughter, as have several other advocates in our riding. Thank you Stephanie Delios Laura Potts Christine Krahn .

So where are we now?

We now have commitments from the Manitoba NDP government to lobby Ottawa, support from Manitoba’s Minister of Agriculture, and multiple MPs pushing this issue federally.

This means the issue is already on the radar politically.

What we need now is a massive collective push to ensure this ban becomes part of the new federal Liberal agenda.

📢 CALL TO ACTION
Please continue contacting your Member of Parliament and ask them if they are bringing this issue to Ottawa, and whether they support amending the Health of Animals Regulations to ban the live export of horses for slaughter.

[email protected]
[email protected]
https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en

Remind them of the Liberal government’s previous commitment to end these live exports.

You can also:
send postcards to the Prime Minister, share this post, speak to friends and family, and help keep public pressure on this issue.

We still have postcards available and can order more if there is enough demand and donations.

You can print Animal Justice’s petition here: https://animaljustice.ca/take-action/ban-live-horse-export

This movement has persisted for years because all of you refuse to give up on these horses.
And now is the time to push harder than ever.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/animal-welfare-debate-manitoba-election-1.6977168

Call to Action: Another Opportunity to Appeal!

As we all now know, our Manitoba government has approved the City of Winnipeg’s application to use rodenticides on Richardson Ground Squirrels on athletic fields inside our city.

Despite much public outcry and expert opposition to this wildlife poisoning, the permit has already been granted for one year (March- October 2026).

Poisons do not discriminate. They move through ecosystems, harming our ground squirrels, poisoning predators like hawks, owls, foxes, and coyotes, and putting companion animals and children at risk.

Humane, non-lethal, and proactive alternatives exist, yet our city (as well as several other cities across Canada) have chosen lethal action. This is a disturbing trend.

👉 But we have another opportunity to appeal

The Minister’s letter confirms that public feedback was received and reviewed. That reinforces what we already know: our voices matter, and we must keep using them.

We are calling on advocates to:

• Email the Minister of Environment and Climate Change at [email protected] within the 30-day appeal window and also to [email protected]

• Share this post to help build public awareness
Safe, usable green spaces should not come at a cost of poisoning urban wildlife and destroying ecosystems.
This is about squirrels, and it is also about what kind of city we want to have.

Remember this at election time. The kind of leadership we expect, and elect, for our city.

This letter is dated May 13th so it's assumed the 30-day appeal period is from that date and would end on June 12, 2026.

The rodenticides permit was issued by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on March 13th, so that appeal process has already closed.

This is a new appeal period.

Please send your submissions in to [email protected] and [email protected] by June 12th 2026 to ensure they are received in time.

* Reiterate the points made in your previous submissions, and I'll include some sample points in the comments

Huge thank you to everyone who came out for our Spring Clean at today!! We nailed, scooped, swept, tidied, and petted with the weather mostly holding out!

Immense gratitude to Free From Farm for hosting us and to .neufeld for feeding us!! You all are amazing and we are so thankful for all you do ✨️
This work you do isn't easy but it is so important 🙌

Free From Farm has a camping weekend coming up on May long, and an Open Sanctuary day the following weekend! Check out their page for more details and opportunities to get involved and support them. Manitoba only has TWO farmed animal sanctuaries (Free from Farm and Little Red Barn) so please support them any way you can 🫶🩷

Join us this Saturday afternoon for some sanctuary spring cleaning!!! May 9th 1pm-4pm at Free From Farm Sanctuary

Come dressed ready to get dirty and have fun
🐷🐄🐐🐰🐑❤️

Join us at Free From Farm Sanctuary on Saturday, May 9th 1pm-4pm for some spring cleaning!

To Do's:

Paint and decorate new house for Pepper and Peanut, the chicken couple

Remove cobwebs and sand chicken coop/workshop to prep for painting (if the weather is good we can also apply primer if warm enough for painting)

Yard cleanup

Come dressed for painting, scooping p**p, and general clean up! !

Join us at Free From Farm Sanctuary on Saturday, May 9th 1pm-4pm for some spring cleaning!

To Do's:

Paint and decorate new house for Pepper and Peanut, the chicken couple

Remove cobwebs and sand chicken coop/workshop to prep for painting (if the weather is good we can also apply primer if warm enough for painting)

Yard cleanup

Come dressed for painting, scooping p**p, and general clean up! !

Appeal process for the
City's use of rodenticides closes tomorrow, April 10th. Email @ [email protected] with your concerns. (Template below)

The province has confirmed treatment can continue during the appeal process, so Rozol and RoCon are being used now.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/04/07/appeal-launched-to-halt-winnipeg-ground-squirrel-control

Last summer, Joyce and I took the below photo of our children playing with Richardson's Ground Squirrels at The Forks.

The same ground squirrels the city now has the approved permit to kill with anticoagulants and foam. We have until April 10th, about two more weeks, to appeal.

On March 19th we held a double protest at City Hall and the Legislative Building , and we are now seeking to flood the Minister of Environment, Mike Moyes, with appeals. You can find the template letter below and the contact info. Please comment below when you've sent your appeal in!

Please take a few minutes to send an email asking the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Mike Moyes, to revoke this permit at [email protected]

You can include points such as:
• Opposition to the use of anticoagulant rodenticides in public spaces
• Risks of secondary poisoning to hawks, foxes, coyotes, and companion animals
• The importance of protecting native wildlife species
• The availability of humane, non-toxic alternatives
• The need for the Environmental Advisory Committee to explore solutions before poisons are used

Ask the Minister to revoke the permit and work with experts and the community to develop humane, ecological approaches to coexistence. This is an issue that comes up every year; the city and the province must have proactive strategies instead of reactive tactics.

Every message matters.
Public pressure can influence future decisions and protect wildlife in our city.

It did last year.

Your voices saved the ground squirrels, and allowed babies to grow up with their mothers and families.

Thank you for standing up for animals and the environment.

Appeal template:
Subject: Appeal of Permit for Ground Squirrel Poisoning in Winnipeg

Dear Minister Moyes,

I am writing to appeal the decision to grant the City of Winnipeg a permit to use the rodenticides Rozol RTU Field Rodent Bait and RoCon Concentrate Rodenticide to kill Richardson's ground squirrels in Winnipeg from March to October 2026.

This anticoagulant poison and foam cause prolonged suffering and pose serious risks of secondary poisoning to owls, hawks, foxes, coyotes, and companion animals. Poisoning native wildlife is not an ethical or environmentally responsible solution when humane, non-toxic alternatives exist.

I urge you to revoke this permit and work with the City of Winnipeg and experts to develop humane and ecological approaches to managing ground squirrels on public land.

Sincerely,
(Your name)
Winnipeg

Along with appeals, here are three petitions you can sign and share to help our furry friends:
https://www.change.org/p/do-not-permit-city-of-winnipeg-to-poison-ground-squirrels?signed=true

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7000&fbclid=IwY2xjawQ4_VxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFyMEpEdkllenk1Wlp2M05Lc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqRsZPg0XFqGQw36sxPLH6Gyo7haEtP9y8PteKSrxUV4RtDe8_rHvH9b8v38_aem_Kpr4mgBKNy-rdHDA3AFBQA

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-inhumane-killing-of-ground-squirrels-in-winnipeg?signed=true

Our next Activist & Vegan Support Group ✨️

Saturday, April 11th, 1pm -3pm St Vital Park (Winnipeg) by the duck pond 💜

Last summer, Joyce and I took the below photo of our children playing with Richardson's Ground Squirrels at The Forks.

The same ground squirrels the city now has the approved permit to kill with anticoagulants and foam. We have until April 10th, about two more weeks, to appeal.

On March 19th we held a double protest at City Hall and the Legislative Building , and we are now seeking to flood the Minister of Environment, Mike Moyes, with appeals. You can find the template letter below and the contact info. Please comment below when you've sent your appeal in!

Please take a few minutes to send an email asking the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Mike Moyes, to revoke this permit at [email protected]

You can include points such as:
• Opposition to the use of anticoagulant rodenticides in public spaces
• Risks of secondary poisoning to hawks, foxes, coyotes, and companion animals
• The importance of protecting native wildlife species
• The availability of humane, non-toxic alternatives
• The need for the Environmental Advisory Committee to explore solutions before poisons are used

Ask the Minister to revoke the permit and work with experts and the community to develop humane, ecological approaches to coexistence. This is an issue that comes up every year; the city and the province must have proactive strategies instead of reactive tactics.

Every message matters.
Public pressure can influence future decisions and protect wildlife in our city.

It did last year.

Your voices saved the ground squirrels, and allowed babies to grow up with their mothers and families.

Thank you for standing up for animals and the environment.

Appeal template:
Subject: Appeal of Permit for Ground Squirrel Poisoning in Winnipeg

Dear Minister Moyes,

I am writing to appeal the decision to grant the City of Winnipeg a permit to use the rodenticides Rozol RTU Field Rodent Bait and RoCon Concentrate Rodenticide to kill Richardson's ground squirrels in Winnipeg from March to October 2026.

This anticoagulant poison and foam cause prolonged suffering and pose serious risks of secondary poisoning to owls, hawks, foxes, coyotes, and companion animals. Poisoning native wildlife is not an ethical or environmentally responsible solution when humane, non-toxic alternatives exist.

I urge you to revoke this permit and work with the City of Winnipeg and experts to develop humane and ecological approaches to managing ground squirrels on public land.

Sincerely,
(Your name)
Winnipeg

Along with appeals, here are three petitions you can sign and share to help our furry friends:
https://www.change.org/p/do-not-permit-city-of-winnipeg-to-poison-ground-squirrels?signed=true

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7000&fbclid=IwY2xjawQ4_VxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFyMEpEdkllenk1Wlp2M05Lc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqRsZPg0XFqGQw36sxPLH6Gyo7haEtP9y8PteKSrxUV4RtDe8_rHvH9b8v38_aem_Kpr4mgBKNy-rdHDA3AFBQA

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-inhumane-killing-of-ground-squirrels-in-winnipeg?signed=true