Across our province, a quiet crisis is unfolding—one that will soon reach every kitchen table, every farm, and every family.

The government’s decision to cut funding to provincial livestock veterinary services is not just harmful—it is dangerous.

For livestock owners, these veterinarians are not optional. They are essential to the survival of animals, farms, and our entire food system.

And no one will feel this more deeply than our dairy farmers.

Dairy farming is not a 9-to-5 job. It is a constant, around-the-clock responsibility. Cows must be milked every day. Their health must be carefully managed. Their welfare cannot wait.

When something goes wrong, there is no delay button.

When a dairy cow goes down and cannot stand…

When infection spreads through a herd…

When a calf is struggling to be born…

Immediate veterinary care is the difference between recovery and serious consequences.

Without access to provincial livestock veterinarians:

Animals will suffer needlessly

Farmers will face significant financial losses
Entire herds could be put at risk
Our local milk supply will become unstable

But this crisis doesn’t stop with dairy.

Horse owners across the province are already feeling the stress and uncertainty of what this means for their animals.

A horse with an injury cannot wait days for care.

A colic episode can escalate quickly.

A lameness issue, left untreated, can become long-term.

I’ve experienced firsthand how important timely access to a veterinarian can be.

When my horse slipped coming off a trailer and cut the length of her leg, it wasn’t life-threatening—but it still required prompt care to properly assess and treat the injury.

Thankfully, a provincial livestock veterinarian was already in the area on another call and was able to come over quickly to help.

That kind of timely, local support matters more than people realize.

Without it, situations that are manageable can become much more serious—for both the animal and the owner.

And that’s the reality many of us are now facing.

These animals depend entirely on us to care for them—but how can we do that when the support we rely on is being taken away?

That uncertainty is stressful.

It weighs on owners.

And it is not sustainable.

These cuts are not just affecting individual animals—they are threatening something much bigger.

They directly impact our food security—our ability to produce safe, reliable, local food.

They also undermine our food sovereignty—our ability to produce and maintain control over our own food systems rather than relying on outside sources.

When farms lose access to care, they cannot continue safely.

When farms disappear, communities lose their independence.

We become more dependent.

More vulnerable.

Less self-sufficient.

Beef farmers, sheep and goat producers, small family farms, and rural communities will all feel the impact. Many are already stretched thin—these cuts may be the breaking point.

This is about more than agriculture.

This is about animal welfare.

This is about the people responsible for these animals.

This is about protecting our food system and our future.

 

We are calling on the government to:

 

Immediately restore funding to provincial livestock veterinary services

Ensure all livestock owners, including horse owners, have access to reliable and timely care
Protect our food security and uphold our food sovereignty by supporting local agriculture

 

Take Action Before It’s Too Late

 

If access to care disappears, animals will suffer.

If animals suffer, farms struggle.

If farms struggle, our food system weakens.

👉 Sign this petition

👉 Share it with your community

👉 Stand up for farmers, horse owners, animals, and the future of our food

 

Because even situations that aren’t life-threatening still deserve timely care—and without these services, that care may not be there when it’s needed.