The animal rights activists in Quebec are raising concerns over the lack of government action in preventing fatal fires that have been claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of livestock animals. A recent report compiled by experts revealed that more than half a million animals have perished in barn fires in the province since 2015, highlighting a distressing trend that remains largely unnoticed.
Dr. Jean-Jacques Kona-Boun, a dedicated veterinarian, initiated a survey to investigate the alarming number of livestock lost in barn fires, shedding light on the dire situation. Over the past decade, Dr. Kona-Boun and volunteers documented 231 fatal barn fires, emphasizing the urgent need for improved safety measures in livestock buildings across Quebec.
Nicolas Morello, a legal expert from the Quebec Animal Law Community, expressed deep concern over the lack of official tracking of animal casualties in such incidents, relying solely on media reports for data. The comprehensive report compiled by Morello, Dr. Kona-Boun, and their team outlined the devastating impact of these fires, with chickens, ducks, pigs, cows, and other animals falling victim to these tragedies.
Highlighting the physical and psychological toll on animals trapped in barn fires, Dr. Kona-Boun emphasized the excruciating pain and trauma experienced by these sentient beings. Despite legal recognition of animals as sentient creatures in Quebec, the absence of specific safety standards in the agricultural sector has left farm animals vulnerable to such fatal incidents.
The activists have identified key factors contributing to these fires, including the lack of fire suppression systems, smoke detectors, and proper storage of combustible materials in barns. They have proposed 90 recommendations aimed at enhancing fire safety and protecting farm animals from such tragedies in the future.
However, their efforts to engage with government authorities, including the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Public Security, have been met with silence, prompting the activists to launch a petition demanding immediate action to prevent further loss of animal lives in fires.
